Doctors in New York and around the country often have extremely poor handwriting, but pharmacists generally do a good job of deciphering what they have written and most prescriptions are filled correctly. However, when prescriptions are not filled properly, the consequences can be fatal.
Hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities in New York and around the country are finding it increasingly difficult to hire registered nurses. The shortage of qualified nurses is a nationwide problem, and it is expected to become worse in the coming years as the baby boom generation continues to retire in ever greater numbers. Projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that more than 500,000 new registered nurses will be needed in the United States by 2022.
New York patients may find it interesting that poor communications between patients and hospital staff contributed to about 7,000 of 23,000 medical malpractice claims that were filed between 2009 and 2013. Of these claims, more than 1,700 involved the death of a patient. The numbers indicate that miscommunication is a major problem that needs to be addressed by hospitals and staff.
More than 1.5 million people are affected each year by errors caused by prescription drug malpractice. Mistakes made in prescribing drugs, administering them, and monitoring prescription drugs are the leading causes of drug malpractice. Such errors not just result in injuries or death but also bump up yearly medical expenses to more than $3.5 billion!
Between 1990 and 2004, there were 916 medical malpractice reports involving clinical psychologists made to the National Practitioner Databank in the United States. Many attorneys who defend psychotherapists before licensing boards and in civil suits are often asked a question – what are the common areas where therapists are most vulnerable? It is important to identify these common pitfalls so that they can be avoided.
