Medical Malpractice: Lack of Communication at Hospital is the Main Reason for Medical Errors

Medical malpractice incidents happen everyday around the country.    In 1997 according to a publication by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, To Err is Human, released a disturbing fact about hospitals, doctors and other medical personnel.  In the report it stated that an average of 44,000 - 98,000 avoidable medical mistakes which result in death occur every year. According to studies medical malpractice cases have slightly dropped in the past 10 years or so but not drastically.

Some doctors and hospitals are starting to try a different way of handling the way they practice medicine.  According to many doctors and nurses the top reason for medical errors is lack of communication. Lack of communication among both doctors/nurses and patients and doctors and nurses amongst themselves can result in serious life long injuries or even death. The second highest cause for medical errors is lack of procedure in place or too much time lapsing between the medical issue that arises and medical attention.

Perhaps one of the best examples of lack of communication and lack of procedures in place or response time would be during delivery of a baby. If something goes wrong a doctor or nurse has very limited time to respond without brain damages and other injuries occuring. Doctors and hospitals believe that they can drastically cut down on injuries, deaths and ultimately medical malpractice cases if they make sure they communicate well with each other and with the patient along with having a quick response time.  One way that they are improving their response time is by making sure they go through procedural tests so they can be quick to respond in a real situation.

To read more about medical malpractice and the effects it has on those who are injured from medical mistakes read our article.