If you or someone in your family has to go to the hospital in Washington, you will likely have many questions for the doctors and medical staff. When preparing for a hospital visit or even once a visit has already commenced, it is important that you know some of the...
Seattle Medical Malpractice Law Blog
Reviewing hand hygiene standards for healthcare workers
You likely enter a hospital or medical center in Seattle with some basic expectations, such as having whomever assists you listen to your concerns and symptoms, and to recieve the highest level of care available. Even if a facility or staff seems unequipped to deliver...
Study: Older surgeons could be a risk to patients
As patients in Washington try to find competent medical help, the population of doctors across the country is getting older. Some are concerned that the doctors who are aging may be more prone to errors than they were in their younger years.As New Zealand Doctor...
Fat-shaming from doctors can result in failure to diagnose
Doctors are humans, which means that they make mistakes. They also have prejudices and personal opinions that can impact the quality of care patients receive. While codes of ethics at most hospitals preclude a doctor from refusing to treat patients because of the...
The details of misdiagnosis
With the devastating effects cancer can have on the body, a proper and timely diagnosis can make the difference between life or death. Washington, as well as the rest of the United States, does not hold all doctors accountable for misdiagnosis. In order to...
Surgical errors: a matter of trust?
Doctors handle some of life's most crucial moments, which means they also stand as knowledgeable and experienced professionals that a community can trust. While a large majority of physicians and surgeouns are successful and loyal health professionals, some,...
Understanding the ED triage process
People in Seattle may hear stories about patients dying in emergency department waiting rooms and worry that they might face the same scenario were they to present to the hospital in an emergent event. Many have developed a “first come, first serve”...
When a diagnosis is a misdiagnosis
In Washington, patients are diagnosed with medical ailments on a daily basis. Timely diagnosis of a serious and life-changing medical condition is imperative to taking steps towards proper treatment or even a cure if available. Yet, some patients are misdiagnosed and...
Off-label drugs and uterine tearing: Was your doctor to blame?
Pregnancy is typically a joyful and expectant time. Sure, there are unpleasant symptoms, like morning sickness and stretch marks, but most women still look forward to labor and delivery with growing excitement. For a small number of mothers, however, labor and...
Detailing cases of retained surgical instruments
Most in Seattle likely understand that surgical procedures are often complex, and thus may be more willing to give surgeons the benefit of the doubt when the more difficult aspects of a procedure go wrong. Yet at the same time, there is an expectation that the...
