MICHIGAN ER NEGLIGENCE LAWYER

Common Emergency Room Errors

Each year, more than 250,000 people in the United States are affected by medical errors, and that includes those harmed in the emergency room or urgent care center. People who are admitted to the emergency room need immediate medical assistance and emergency room doctors, nurses, and staff are required to uphold the standard duty of care. However, the emergency room can also be a frantic and disorganized place for patients – and all too often, emergency room patients do not receive the care that they need.

Some of the most common examples of emergency room errors include:

• Premature discharge from the ER after a procedure: Releasing a patient too early before they are stable enough to leave the hospital can lead to complications or exacerbation of their condition.
• Failure to order immediate surgery to save a limb or vital organ: This could occur if medical staff fail to recognize the urgency of a patient's condition or prioritize other patients over those in critical need.
• Delayed treatment: Waiting too long to provide necessary medical care can worsen a patient's condition and increase the risk of complications.
• Failure to recognize the risk of stroke or aneurysm: These conditions require prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent serious consequences such as brain damage or death.
• Failure to recognize the risk of heart attack or cardiac arrest: Prompt intervention is crucial in these cases to prevent heart muscle damage or sudden cardiac death.
• Failure to stabilize oxygenation, heart function, or bleeding before transferring or releasing the patient: Moving a patient before they are adequately stabilized can lead to further harm.
• Failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis: Incorrectly identifying a patient's condition can result in inappropriate treatment or a delay in receiving necessary care.
• Medication mistakes, including over- and under-medication: Administering the wrong medication or incorrect dosage can have serious consequences for the patient's health.

Although the emergency room may be a demanding and fast-paced environment for medical professionals, patients are still entitled to a high standard of consideration and care for their wellbeing. Even when medical mistakes are unintentional, you could be looking at thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial losses as the result of an emergency room error.

Additionally, the consequences of poor emergency performance tend to be much higher than the average clinical setting. When negligence occurs, the serious illness or trauma can be extremely severe, and will frequently result in death.

Some of the most common causes of medical negligence in the ER:

• Overcrowding and understaffing: When emergency departments are overcrowded and lack sufficient staffing, medical professionals may be stretched thin, leading to rushed decisions, increased wait times, and decreased quality of care.
• Medical staff fatigue and burnout: Long shifts, high patient volumes, and emotionally demanding work can lead to fatigue and burnout among healthcare providers, impairing their judgment and increasing the likelihood of errors.
• Poor internal communication: Inadequate communication among medical staff can lead to misunderstandings, delays in treatment, and errors in patient care, especially during handovers or transitions of care.
• “Patient dumping,” or dropping patients without any insurance plan: Some healthcare facilities may prioritize patients with insurance coverage over those without, leading to inadequate or delayed care for uninsured or underinsured individuals.
• Failure to screen patients for common life-threatening conditions: Inadequate screening protocols or delays in triaging patients can result in missed diagnoses or delayed treatment for life-threatening conditions.
• Lack of sufficient training and vetting for employees: Insufficient training or inadequate vetting of medical staff can lead to errors in diagnosis, treatment, and patient management.
• Electronic medical record errors: Errors in electronic medical records, such as incorrect patient information or medication orders, can lead to adverse events if not promptly identified and corrected.
• Hospital bed shortages: Limited availability of hospital beds can lead to delays in admitting patients from the emergency department, prolonging their wait times and increasing the risk of adverse outcomes.
• Lack of resources and equipment: Inadequate access to necessary resources and equipment, such as diagnostic tools or life-saving medications, can hinder timely and appropriate patient care.