Gestational Diabetes Linked to Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Gestational diabetes is blood sugar condition affecting pregnant women. Unlike Type I or Type II diabetes, gestational diabetes is not permanent, though mothers who develop it may be at a greater risk of developing Type II later on in life. A recent study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, aimed to discover if there was a…
Read MoreThe Vulnerability of Medical Devices to Cybersecurity Breaches
You have likely heard of, and may well have been a victim of, a cyber security breach where sensitive, personal information was hacked from the servers of a bank, a credit bureau or even a major health care insurer. Medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps are now connected to wireless networks so that…
Read MoreNurse “Burnout” Leads to Dangerous Medical Mistakes
Nurses are often the unsung heroes of health care. They work long, grueling hours carrying out the doctor’s orders, they interact with doctors, patients and peers in often chaotic and emotionally exhausting environments and they often do this difficult work exhausted. Fatigue, burnout, exhaustion, overworked: regardless of how you describe it, due to their often…
Read MoreFailing Pacemakers Show Us the High Cost of Replacing Defective Medical Devices
When medical devices that have been implanted into a human body (like a pacemaker or an IUD, for example) fail, Medicare often covers the surgery to replace them. The Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report that said Medicare has paid at least $1.5 billion over a decade…
Read MoreBaltimore Family Awarded Millions after a Medication Error Led to the Death of Their Loved One
Medication errors are a significant problem in modern health care. Also called adverse drug events (ADE), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports that ADE’s account for nearly 700,000 emergency department visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year. The AHRQ also reports that approximately 5% of hospitalized patients will experience an ADE making them…
Read MoreWhy the Obstetrics Ward Ordered to be Shutdown at Washington D.C.’s United Medical Center
Back in August, regulators from the Washington, D.C. Department of Health closed the Obstetrics Department at the United Medical Center, the only full-service hospital in Southeast Washington. The Washington Post obtained a letter to Luis A. Hernandez, CEO of UMC, from the D.C. Department of Health, advising him that they were restricting the hospital’s license,…
Read MoreBarry Nace Speaks with KALW about Medical Malpractice
On October 11th, Barry Nace spoke with KALW in San Francisco, an affiliate of NPR, about what medical malpractice is, and what it takes to file a successful claim. We invite you to access that interview here, through this link.
Read MoreWhy Are Children Dying in the Dentist’s Chair?
A story on the TV program “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” highlighted the recent string of deaths of children in dentist’s chairs across the United States. Many adults are afraid and anxiety about going to the dentist for a dental procedure, but we go, and we sit through it with just Novocain as a local…
Read MoreMedical Negligence and Hazards at Urgent Care Centers
If there is a strip mall near you, chances are good that it includes an Urgent Care facility. These are free-standing medical centers that operate as a hybrid between an emergency room and health clinic. Designed to treat patients with acute medical conditions and minor traumas. They do not serve patients with serious, life-threatening conditions.…
Read MoreWhen Plastic Surgery Errors Lead to Medical Malpractice
Plastic surgeries are usually elective procedures women and men undergo to improve their personal appearance. Sometimes they are necessary to correct the consequences from a serious accident, such as a fire that caused disfiguring burns. When you go under the knife, you expect your surgeon to be competent and professional. A simple mistake before, during,…
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