Medical errors are a serious problem for patients in New York and across the nation. In fact, medical errors are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., ranking third after heart disease and cancer. Some of the most common errors may be prevented if patients stay engaged with their medical treatment and ask questions.
New York residents may be interested in the case of a woman who was initially diagnosed as brain dead and refused treatment by doctors as a result. Later, two neurologists hired by the woman’s father to give a second opinion diagnosed her as not brain dead based on the fact that she moved some extremities when she was pinched.
Alternative medicine is becoming increasingly popular among Americans for the treatment of various medical problems. Once considered a radical form of treatment, acupuncture is becoming an option in mainstream medicine. It is estimated 10% of Americans have tried acupuncture and that more than 1/3 would consider trying this form of treatment. Additionally, nearly 50% of physicians in the country have either referred patients to acupuncturists or would be willing to make such a referral.
New York residents who are unable to travel to the doctor sometimes use telemedicine to diagnose and treat medical conditions remotely. One area of telemedicine that is becoming popular is teledermatology. Several teledermatology websites allow patients to send photographs to be used for diagnosis and treatment of various conditions.
Research has confirmed that preventable medical errors cause the death of 440,000 people each year in the United States. These errors cost the nation, tens of billions of dollars every year. It is reported that 1 in 3 patients will experience a medical error when they are admitted to the hospital.
