Medical Malpractice

• Doctors Protest Health Insurer Deal

  Steve Klearman | November 02, 2007 1:06 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- While state regulators have approved UnitedHealth Group's $2.6 billion purchase of Sierra Health Services Inc., Nevada's largest health insurer, the American Medical Association continued its fight against the deal during a congressional hearing Thursday.The AMA's immediate past president, Dr. William Plested, asked the House Committee on Small Business to urge the...

• Growing Number of Floridians Without Health Insurance

  Eddie Farah | November 02, 2007 12:14 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Here are the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.They tell us that Floridians are increasingly opting to go without health insurance. The latest count -- one in four residents, under age 65, did not have health insurance coverage last year. In terms of numbers, that translates to almost four million Floridians. Back in 2002, one in five Floridians lacked health coverage. Those numbers...

• State Senator's Family Sues Nursing Home

  Eddie Farah | November 01, 2007 8:45 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  These are not stories we report every day, but they are stories that happen every day, unfortunately.In this case the wife of Senator Stephen Wise of Jacksonville, and her sister are suing a nursing home claiming negligence killed their 89-year old father, Glenn Beeman in 2005.The place in question - West Jacksonville Health and Rehabilitation Center.What's fascinating are the comments that...

• Rapid Treatment of TIA Reduces Major Stroke Risk

  Steve Klearman | November 01, 2007 1:00 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  From D. Garth Sullivan at Indox Consulting:Rapid assessment and treatment of a first transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor ischemic stroke dramatically reduces risk for subsequent major stroke.Two separate studies - one in the Lancet and the other in Lancet Neurology - show that such an approach reduces recurrent stroke risk by about 80%.Initially presented in June 2007 at the 16th European...

• Physicians Should Disclose Gifts From Pharmaceutical Companies

  Brooks Schuelke | November 01, 2007 9:49 AM | 0 CommentsAustin, TX

  The recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine discusses the controversial issue of pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of medical devices providing free gifts to physicians that prescribe their products. The article states that 94% of physicians have some type of relationship with the industry. The article best summarized the debate with the following quote:From a policy...

• Emergency Room wait so long, 33 year old dies!

  Lauren Ellerman | November 01, 2007 9:25 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  This article is upsetting - but not the first time we have heard about an emergency room wait being so long that a person does not receive treatment in time.LA Times reports "Christopher Jones arrived at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar on Sunday complaining of chest pains. Jones, 33, was told to sit in the waiting room until it was his turn. He didn't receive a simple test to determine...

• Medical Malpractice: Waiting In E.R. Can Be Deadly

  Randy Walton | October 31, 2007 7:05 PM | 0 CommentsSan Diego, CA

  When 33-year-old Christopher Jones experienced pain in his chest and left arm he did what most people would do, he went to the hospital. When arrived at the Emergency Department he was told to wait until it was his turn.Mr. Jones waited and waited, for more than three hours, the he stepped outside and collapsed on the pavement. A few minutes later he was dead. Is this a wrongful...

• Court upholds high jury verdict against West Virginia doctor

  Lauren Ellerman | October 30, 2007 3:09 PM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Read all about it - High Court upholds $1.7 million verdict against West Virginia physician.The appeal, filed by the physician, alleged the trial court wrongly calculated judgment. In addition, the physician alleged the plaintiff was faking his injuries. Now, faking a headache maybe, but being blind - that's a hard one to fake! For more information on this subject, please refer to the section...

• Medical Malpractice Insurance "Crisis" Is Over In Pennsylvania - Rates Dropping and Doctors Not Leaving

  Mike Ferrara | October 29, 2007 9:49 PM | 0 CommentsCherry Hill, NJ

  In a stunning reversal, Governor Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania released data showing the so-called medical malpractice crisis in Pennsylvania is over. The state's two largest private medical-malpractice insurers, PMSLIC and MedPro, have kept their premiums steady the last two years, and recently filed for rate decreases. PMSLIC's average rates would fall 11 percent; and MedPro's, 6...

• Hospital Patient Burned

  Larry Buckfire | October 29, 2007 9:26 PM | 0 CommentsDetroit, MI

  "Our apologies go out to the family," said Henry Ford Macomb Hospital spokeswoman Suzanne Schut. "We are assuming all accountability for the incident."An elderly woman who was recovering from a heart attack in the ICU at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Clinton Township, Michigan suffered severe burns to her face while being treated at the hospital. While in the hospital awaiting surgery, she...