Medical Malpractice

• Doctor Faces Manslaughter Charges in Death of Abortion Patient

  Kyle Bachus | July 22, 2008 5:59 PM | 1 CommentDenver, CO

  In a rare move, a Cape Cod grand jury indicted Dr. Rapin Osathanondh on a charge of manslaughter, following the October 13, 2007 death of 22-year-old patient, Laura Hope Smith. While, as Dan Slater...

• Medical Malpractice Crisis Myths(2)

  Darin Schanker | June 20, 2008 4:00 AM | 0 CommentsFort Collins, CO

  The Center for American Progress has a series of short articles on medical malpractice, and it is worth giving a read. As the election shifts into overdrive, you can expect to hear a lot about this...

• Are You Paying For Your Doctor's Mistakes?

  Linda Snyder | March 05, 2008 3:38 PM | 0 CommentsColorado Springs, CO

  Imagine going to the hospital for a routine hernia operation. Imagine you wake up and find two incisions instead of one as expected because the surgeon operated on the wrong side and had to start over.Imagine getting your insurance statement a few weeks later and find your insurance had been billed for both operations!This is the true story of Kevin Baccam, a 33-year old school district...

• Nursing Home Citations Increase

  Staff Writer | December 19, 2007 11:20 AM | 0 CommentsColorado Springs, CO

  USA Today recently reported that nursing home citations have increased 22% from 2000 to 2006. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Serices, which regulates nursing homes, claimed that more and more nursing homes are being cited for serious violations that are putting patients at risk. The most serious type of cases being cited are patients who were physically or sexually abused as well as...

• Half of Doctors in U.S. Report Medical Errors

  Linda Snyder | December 07, 2007 3:28 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Recently, researchers found that only half of all U.S. doctors report medical mistakes or unethical colleagues. Only 46 percent of physicians surveyed stated that they knew of a serious medical error and didn't report it. The U.S. Institute of Medicine surveyed more than 1,600 physicians in 2003 and 2004; only 31 percents had undergone a competency review in the past three years. About 98,000...

• Longer Stays in Hospice Cause Financial Problems

  Linda Snyder | November 27, 2007 11:47 AM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Numerous hospice providers nationwide are facing financial problems due to their patients living longer than expected. You would assume this would obviously be a positive development, yet the effects on hospices' aren't.Over the last eight years, the federal government has had to demand that hospices exceeding reimbursement limits repay hundreds of millions of dollars to Medicare.A 2006 report...

• Medtronic Defibrillator Leads Recalled

  Shannon Weidemann | October 22, 2007 9:29 PM | 0 CommentsColorado Springs, CO

  Defibrillator leads that connect an implanted defibrillator have been recalled. The defective medical device is made by Medtronic and may cause the device to function incorrectly. The name of the product is Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Defibrillator Leads. The FDA has advised patients who are implanted with this recalled Medtronic defibrillator lead or do not know the model of their lead, to...

• Parents File Medical Malpractice Case in Arkansas

  Shannon Weidemann | August 08, 2007 3:17 PM | 0 CommentsColorado Springs, CO

  A medical malpractice case is being heard in Arkansas after a woman was incapcitated after surgery at Northwest Medical Center. The case is being heard in Washington County Circuit Court. The woman had an infection in her arm and had surgery to treat it. The plaintiffs seek money either for expenses for their daughter's future costs at the nursing home or for her to stay at home with them....

• Surgeons Fail to Report When Stuck With Needles

  Jenny Albano | June 29, 2007 11:47 AM | 0 CommentsGrand Junction, CO

  A study being published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that most surgeons who have accidentally stuck themselves with needles while performing surgery, failed to report their injuries. This is a major problem because this lack of reporting is putting many patients and doctors at risk for blood-borne illnesses, such as AIDS and hepatitis.Most surgeons say the main reason for needle...

• Sleep Apnea Flow Generators Recalled

  Shannon Weidemann | April 30, 2007 10:45 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Some flow generators used in the treatment of sleep apnea have been recalled. ResMed is voluntarily recalling S8 flow generators made between July 2004 and May 15, 2006 because the power supply connector may short circuit. This creates a potential for machine failure, sparks and fire. Patients may continue to use their S8 flow generators until they receive a replacement device. As with any...