Johns Hopkins University are finding an alarming number of medical ‘never ever’ events after a thorough analysis of medical malpractice claims across the country.

Every patient hears the same old adage: there’s no such thing as a routine surgery. While any procedure carries its own inherent risks, researchers from Johns Hopkins University are finding an alarming number of medical ‘never ever’ events after a thorough analysis of medical malpractice claims across the country. In a new report released last week, investigators estimate surgeons leave a foreign body, including a towel or sponge, inside a patient 39 times per week, performs the wrong procedure 20 times a week, and operates on the wrong part of the body 20 times a week. Floored by such alarming statistics, Philadelphia malpractice attorney Richard P. Console Jr. wants all patients to hold doctors accountable when they make such negligent errors.

“A medical ‘never ever’ event is a harm visited on a patient that’s completely preventable,” he said. “Doctors committing these acts resulting in patients sustaining additional injuries, many of them serious, usually constitute medical malpractice in some form. The instances of such events that Johns Hopkins researchers found is eye opening to say the least. Every patient should be mindful of it going into surgery.”

Research went on to state that ‘never ever’ events occurred about 80,000 times in hospitals in the United States from 1990 through 2010. Investigators believe, sadly, that the total estimated number of these events is most likely on the low end of the spectrum from what’s actually occurring. To compile data, researchers utilized the National Practitioner Data Bank, a national database of medical malpractice claims. They targeted ‘never ever’ events specifically because they are not the type of medical errors that generate frivolous lawsuits or settlements to avoid trials, according to the report. Console, whose firm of personal injury lawyers in Philadelphia has helped more than 5,000 claimants, sees these findings as a victory of injured patients.

“The cost of bringing medical malpractice claims usually eliminates frivolous lawsuits from court dockets,” he said. “Attorneys focus on valid claims because, quite frankly, they can’t afford to bring flimsy cases. Patients harmed by a doctor’s carelessness deserve compensation, and it’s clear there are thousands of legitimate claims out there. This data is validation for the thousands of patients who were hurt by doctor negligence. There are doctors out there making horrible mistakes, and people are really suffering, even dying, from them.”

Hopkins analysts identified 9,744 malpractice judgments involved a payment to an injured plaintiff from 1990 through 2010. Those judgments totaled $1.3 billion and involved patient death in 6.6 percent of cases, permanent injury in 32.0 percent of cases, and temporary injury in 59.2 percent. Healthcare professionals plan to use the findings to develop better safety procedures with the larger goal of reducing ‘never ever’ events, according to the report.

Richard P. Console Jr. is the managing partner of Console & Hollawell P.C. Since 1994, the firm has helped medical malpractice victims obtain the compensation they deserve for the injuries they sustained due to the carelessness of their doctors.

I agree, and it's nice (not really nice) to know that it isn't just nurses....Teresa

ianursing... Hiya.. I am not sure of the statistics but I would think that it could be about greater than or equal to.. That's only my opinion.. I know that I posted an article about this.. It would be under Rx or Nurse talk.. Check it out and let me know if you have difficulty finding it.  Teresa

ianursing,, Thank you for your kind words.. If you have any dificulty finding it, just let me know.. I look for it also... Teresa

 Here you go.

Everything Nurses   Nursing Technology    A Serious Problem Alarming Doctor  Error Statistics

Put a search in on       A Serious Problem and then Discussions and that will bring you to the page...

I look forward to hear your Comments..

Teresa 

ianursing , Let me know if you still can not locate it.. I'll post it in your inbox.. But you have to friend me first.. I have been trying but I haven't gotten a acceptance from you yet..Teresa

Hiya, NP.. I will post it in your inbox.. I hope you enjoy it.. Teresa

It's okay Teresa!Thank you so so much for your effort!I'll check it out...