While it may seem particularly egregious to level these attacks on hospitals, they are often the victims. Their systems house a trove of patient information that needs to be kept private, and they’re heavily reliant on their systems to treat patients. Therefore, they may be willing to pay a great deal to get them back, even though law enforcement discourages that.
Among the elements of care that can be rendered unusable during a cyberattack are monitoring and imaging equipment, communication software, electronic health record (EHR) systems and telehealth platforms. Hospitals are heavily reliant on electronic systems for patient information, communication among staff members who are treating a patient throughout the day and night and much more.
Not only can patients already in the facility be at risk, but a hospital under attack has to limit new patients until it can be resolved. Getting these systems up and running again can literally be a matter of life or death.
It’s hard to know precisely how significantly a ransomware attack can affect patient outcomes. One study determined that it increased the mortality rate from 3% to 4%. It’s likely higher since it’s hard to determine how often delays in treatment caused by a ransomware attack cause fatalities.
While hospitals typically are victims, just as patients are, the costs to patients can be their health and even their lives.
One of the first malpractice suits involving a cyberattack involved the death of a baby who, according to the suit, didn’t receive fetal heart rate and other monitoring during and after birth because the systems were down. Further, the hospital allegedly didn’t notify the mother of the attack's effect on its ability to monitor her baby.
It’s crucial for health care providers to do everything possible to prevent becoming the victim of a cyberattack. Their preventative measures (or lack thereof), the correlation between system or equipment unavailability and a bad patient outcome and other factors need to be weighed to determine whether a hospital was guilty of malpractice due to a cyberattack. It’s crucial to have experienced legal guidance in these cases to seek justice and compensation.
]]>Unfortunately, the lack of an early diagnosis can have devastating consequences, leading to delayed treatment and possibly a worsened condition. While medical professionals strive for diagnostic accuracy, some cancer types demand extra vigilance due to their inherent difficulty in revealing themselves.
Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its lack of noticeable symptoms, particularly in the early stages. When symptoms do manifest, they can mimic benign disorders such as pancreatitis or acid reflux.
Similarly, non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of cancer to attack this region, often remains symptomless in its early phases, making detection elusive.
Ovarian cancer's early symptoms can be vague and easily mistaken for less severe conditions like cysts or premenstrual syndrome. The unfortunate outcome is missing out on early life-saving treatments.
A formidable opponent, brain cancer often presents no symptoms in its earliest stages. By the time symptoms like headaches and vision problems manifest, cancerous tumors may have grown substantially.
So-called stealthy illnesses like these highlight the importance of both patient awareness and medical provider vigilance. Doctors and diagnosticians must look deeper than common causes and consider whether patients may have a more serious illness.
In light of the knowledge that early detection is a powerful weapon in the fight against cancer, physicians should take steps to rule it out when a patient's symptoms overlap with cancer indicators.
]]>Here are three common causes:
Budget constraints are one of the reasons some hospitals hire fewer healthcare providers. A hospital may opt to work with a limited number of professionals to avoid spending high amounts on salaries and benefits. While this may seem logical, it can lead to costly impacts.
When a hospital is understaffed, a healthcare professional may be forced to work more. For example, a nurse may have to work more shifts or a surgeon may have to perform more operations in a day. This can lead to burnout.
Some healthcare providers leave the medical industry due to burnout; they move to other fields or retire altogether. When this happens, the issue of understaffing typically worsens.
The number of trained healthcare professionals is reducing as the years go by. There is a growing demand for professionals, but it outmatches the supply. Accordingly, a hospital may have a difficult time finding enough professionals. If such a hospital admits more patients than it can serve competently, problems can arise.
Understaffing can cause medical malpractice. When a hospital has fewer healthcare providers, it can be impossible to provide all patients with quality care. For example, patients in the emergency room may have to wait longer to see a doctor, which can worsen their conditions.
Further, when a physician experiences burnout, they are likely to make errors, such as misdiagnosing a patient, giving a patient the wrong medication/dosage, performing surgery on the wrong patient, and so on.
If you or your loved one was injured in a hospital due to understaffing, learn more about your case to know your options and rights.
]]>However, race is a significant factor when it comes to the level of health care a person receives.
There have been studies that show racism affects the accessibility and quality of medical care received by marginalized groups. It manifests in various ways in how care is delivered, leading to differences in health outcomes.
Bias comes in many forms, influencing health care providers’ clinical decision-making and patient interactions. To eliminate health care disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups, lawmakers introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA). It would address the problem through a multifaceted approach, including:
The HEAA looks to improve access to quality health care services, regardless of race, ethnicity or immigration status. It would include expanding Medicaid and Medicare programs, improving community health centers, and addressing language barriers that affect access to care.
The bill was introduced in 2007 and reintroduced yearly, with updates reflecting changes in the health care landscape. Rep. Robin Kelly presented the most recent bill, which is currently awaiting review by the Subcommittee on Health.
Until changes are made at every level of the health care system, racism and bias will continue to affect the health outcomes of marginalized populations. On its own, bias in treatment isn’t enough for a medical malpractice suit. However, if that bias led to negligence and caused actual harm to the patient, there could be grounds for a case.
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