There are some health-related issues that require a closer look in order to achieve a proper diagnosis. New York residents who are prone to various and seemingly unrelated illnesses that have no immediately recognizable cause may actually suffer from a commonly misdiagnosed disorder.
New Yorkers might be shocked to learn about a case in Massachusetts in which a doctor reportedly removed a kidney from the wrong patient. The incident reportedly occurred at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester and is being investigated by the Massachusetts Department of Health.
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a genetic condition that impacts how the body processes collagen. Collagen makes up about 30 percent of the human body, which means symptoms of the syndrome may be felt in multiple places. However, it is often difficult for patients in New York and elsewhere to be diagnosed with the condition because its symptoms may be seen as localized issues. For example, knee pain may be diagnosed as tendinitis while a shoulder issue may be seen as bursitis.
New York residents may know that medication errors are a leading cause of patient harm in the United States, and that they are often fatal. To combat the problem, pharmacists are using special software to help identify these mistakes before they occur.
Patients in New York may be less likely to suffer from medical malpractice related to shift changes if more hospitals begin to adopt the technology currently in use at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. According to a research letter that appeared in JAMA on Aug. 1, an electronic patient record is a useful tool in reducing errors.
