Misdiagnosis

According to an article that was published in The Daily Courier in Prescott, Ariz., the most common medical error, according to a recent study, is misdiagnosis.

Researchers studied more than 350,000 medical malpractice cases that spanned 25 years in the U.S. that patients had won. They found that misdiagnosis accounted for nearly three out of every 10 successful malpractice claims, and nearly seven out of 10 paid claims based on misdiagnosis were related to care that occurred outside of the hospital.

Unfortunately, these claims noted that about half of the patients died while the rest experienced serious and permanent harm, with 80,000-160,000 people becoming permanently disabled each year.  Diagnostic errors appear to be the most common, most costly and most dangerous.

So, how can you avoid being misdiagnosed? The first step is to provide as much relevant information as you can to your health care provider so they can come up with the correct diagnosis. You should also provide a summary of your medical history as well as a detailed list of all medications you are taking.

The second step is to ask questions if you’re unsure about the diagnosis, such as: What else could it be? Is there anything that doesn't fit (meaning any symptom, findings upon examining you, or a test result that isn't explained by the diagnosis)? Is it possible that I have more than one problem?

The third step is to make sure you, as the patient, understand what has been said to you. Get a written record of the doctor’s instructions and know when you should start to feel better and what to do if there is no improvement.

The fourth and final step is to make an effort to follow the care instructions you’ve been given, to notice if you feel better or not and to track any new symptoms that arise.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.
2200 E Camelback Road
Suite 213
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-224-0005

Medication orders going to the wrong patients

According to an article published in Med City News, medical errors and the secondary problems they can cause are costing providers anywhere from $17 billion to $1 trillion.

A new study from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority has shed light on what exactly is causing medication orders to get dispensed to the wrong patient. Apparently, 43 percent of these mistakes happen in administration. Other reasons for these errors include the mix-up of patients sharing a room, the wrong patient being chosen from an automated dispensing cabinet and protocol being ignored for identifying patients by relying on the patient or family to verify the patient’s identity.

Prescribing errors accounted for 12 percent of mistakes, such as healthcare workers ordering a medication on the wrong chart. About 38 percent of the medication errors stemmed from transcribing or transferring a paper medication order to an electronic or paper medication administration record.  

The study stressed that better engagement and computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) are two critical ways to reduce those errors.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

2200 E Camelback Road

Suite 213

Phoenix, AZ 85016

602-224-0005

Bean Bag Chair Recall

Anywhere Lounger Bean Bag Chairs made by L. Powell Acquisition Corp. have been recalled due to a suffocation and strangulation hazard.

The bags were sold from June 2012 through February 2013.Without a permanent zipper closure, young children are able to unzip the chair and possibly ingest or inhale the small beads inside.

Recalled items include: 199-B004, 199-B005, 199-B006, 199-B007, 199-B008, 199-B009, 199-B012, 199-B014, 199-B016 and 199-B017.

Consumers are urged to call Powell at 800-622-4456 or visit www.powellcompany.com and click on Anywhere Lounger Safety Enhancement Kit for more information.

Infection Outbreak Tied to Compounding Pharmacy

According to an article published in MedPage Today, seven patients who were injected with corticosteroids from a compounding pharmacy in Tennessee have become ill. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) said that at least one case is an apparent fungal infection.  

The agency said it was working with the CDC and authorities in Tennessee to investigate the adverse events, linked to methylprednisolone acetate compounded by Main Street Family Pharmacy in Newbern, Tenn.

The FDA has recommended that healthcare providers not administer any products labeled as sterile from Main Street and quarantine them until further guidance is provided.

Safety Issues at Compounding Pharmacies

Months after tainted steroid shots made by a Massachusetts pharmacy set off the worst drug disaster in decades by killing 53 people and sickening 680 others, federal inspectors have found dozens of potentially dangerous safety problems at 30 specialized pharmacies. 

According to an article published in The Washington Post, inspectors from the Food and Drug Administration discovered tears in gloves worn by technicians, rust and mold in “clean rooms” and inadequate microbial testing that raise the risk of lethal contamination. They also found black particles in vials of an injectable medicine at a Florida company.  

These specialized pharmacies, also called compounding pharmacies, were inspected between February and April, and marks the first time that the FDA targeted them. They focused on firms that produce high-risk sterile products.

According to the inspections, the compounders are failing to ensure safety of their products.  
 

The FDA has also inspected about a dozen other compounding pharmacies in response to complaints about drugs from state authorities. After the inspections, multiple firms have recalled their products and others have temporarily suspended making drugs.

Communication

While surgeries carry some form of risk for a patient, many complications can be prevented through simple communication. There are many steps that patients can take before they even get to the hospital, and the most important is to make sure you’re informed about everything your procedure will include.  

Be sure to speak with your doctor about all aspects of the procedure. Direct communication with your surgeon regarding your concerns is the best way to gain an understanding, reduce misconceptions about surgery and plan your recovery.

Remember to talk with your surgeon about any medications you are taking for chronic conditions. Be sure to ask what to expect after the surgery and what you can do to help the recovery process. Patients also should know that their healthcare team will follow specific procedures to ensure the best possible outcomes. Prior to receiving anesthesia, for example, the surgeon may confirm your procedure as well as what body part and what side is involved.

Typically, this includes marking the actual site so it is visible during surgery while you are unable to talk. Many times, a surgeon also will prescribe an antibiotic to be taken shortly before the procedure. This is done to help prevent infection at the surgical site, which could slow recovery following an operation. Additionally, once you are sedated and in the operating room, your surgical team will conduct a formal pause before starting. This pause – called a time-out – allows the team to check the patient name and ID number, identify the procedure to be done, and check to be sure all equipment and medications are in the room. This process only takes a few moments but it plays a big role in reducing operating errors and ensuring patient safety.

Surgeons lead a very large team dedicated to providing you with a safe, positive experience both during and after surgery. This is a very big responsibility. Trust and open communication are integral pieces of the doctor-patient relationship and are paramount to a successful outcome and a positive patient experience.

Higher Infection Rate Linked to Understaffed Nurses

Taken from Nursing Center:

Understaffing of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is common and is associated with an increased risk of nosocomial infection in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, according to a study published online March 18 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Jeannette A. Rogowski, Ph.D., from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Piscataway, and colleagues conducted a retrospective study to examine the adequacy of NICU nurse staffing in the United States and its association with infant outcomes using data from all VLBW infants with a NICU stay of at least three days, discharged from the 67 NICUs in the Vermont Oxford Network in 2008 (5,771 infants) and 2009 (5,630 infants). Nurse understaffing was assessed relative to acuity-based guidelines using survey data from 2008 and for four complete shifts in 2009 to 2010.

The researchers found that, compared with guidelines, hospitals understaffed 32 percent of their NICU infants and 92 percent of high-acuity infants. On average, an additional 0.11 of a nurse per infant overall and 0.39 of a nurse per high-acuity infant would be required to meet minimum staffing guidelines. Infection rates for VLBW infants were 16.5 percent in 2008 and 13.9 percent in 2009. An understaffing level that was one standard deviation higher correlated with significantly increased likelihood of infection (adjusted odds ratios, 1.39 for 2008 and 1.39 for 2009).

"In conclusion, our findings suggest that the most vulnerable hospitalized patients, unstable newborns requiring complex critical care, do not receive recommended levels of nursing care," write the authors.