Medical Malpractice Comes in Many Forms

More often than not, when a person hears the words medical malpractice, they think of a surgery gone wrong, the wrong medication given to an individual, or a mistake in treatment that caused serious problems or death for a patient. However, medical malpractice comes in other forms as well, such as neglect, indifference, and/or overworked staff that cannot provide proper care to a patient.

Our medical malpractice attorneys at MyPhillyLawyer have extensive experience with medical malpractice. We know how to investigate such situations and ensure that a case is handled expeditiously and with great care for those involved. We’re here to help and to get justice where there is injustice.

In this story, a Pennsylvania pediatrician was trying to get the proper care for her mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. The doctor’s mother was in a nursing home but was violent and refusing medication. They suggested a transfer to a psychiatric ward at a local hospital. However, she was told the facility did not accept dementia patients. On appealing that decision, it was reversed, and the doctor’s mother was admitted.

Rather than improving, the situation got rapidly worse. When the doctor went to see her mother, she found her wearing a diaper and in restraints. She sought help to remove them but was told by two medical students that it was not their job. Rather than helping a patient in distress, the prevailing attitude was that the rules were more important, resulting in neglect and indifferent care.

The mistreatment continued as the doctor’s mother waited three days before getting an x-ray for a swollen and bruised hand. The doctor was told the computer system was not working properly, something that became a regular occurrence after the implementation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. Implementing such a system it shifted hands-on care from personal to indifferent, where patients saw less of medical personnel and medical staff saw more computer screens.

A few days later, the doctor went back to check on her mother and found her dehydrated and unresponsive. It turned out that her mother had only had 13 ounces of fluid over three days. The doctor discharged her mom and reported the hospital’s negligence to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Joint Commission.

The subsequent investigation, which lasted a month, resulted in an apology from the hospital and the information that newly adopted changes were to be put into place to avoid future instances of malpractice. However, a year later, a friend of the doctor who was caring for a parent with dementia told her a story that was just like what happened to the doctor’s mother. 

The long and short of it was that there still needs to be an element of humanity and caring in the nursing profession and the environs of a hospital. To receive anything less than hands-on care and alert and caring nursing is to invite repeat instances of neglect, negligence, and malpractice. When the government and bureaucrats take over medical care, the system collapses in on itself, and the patients suffer.

Additionally, a Commonwealth Foundation poll cited nine out of ten Pennsylvanians agree the healthcare system is too bureaucratic and that patients deserve personalized care options.

Contact MyPhillyLawyer 

If you believe you have been a victim of medical malpractice, contact MyPhillyLawyer today at 215-215-2727 or call toll-free (866) 352-4572. The sooner you talk to us, the sooner we can start investigating your case and secure important evidence that may be lost, and interview staff, which may be transferred to another location.