You do not expect to go into the hospital for surgery to heal a problem and then come out of surgery with an even bigger problem. This should never happen. In fact, there are several things in the health care field that should never happen.  Physician Ken Kizer coined...

When your family member lives in a nursing home, you count on the staff of the facility to provide excellent care. Though most nursing homes provide outstanding service, you may worry about the potential for neglect. If you believe that your loved one is not receiving...

Every year, millions of Americans receive some kind of misdiagnosis. From failing to recognize important symptoms to neglecting to order appropriate tests, when a trusted health care professional makes a diagnostic mistake, the outcome can be devastating for the...

In early 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched a Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse to eliminate loopholes that allowed truckers who abused substances to continue to work. The clearinghouse is a database that lists truck drivers and any...

If you rely on prescriptions for short or long-term health concerns, you might want to practice a little discernment when choosing a pharmacy. Medication errors are a common cause of pharmacy/medical malpractice that affects many lives.  Pharmacists and their staff...

If you need long-term care for a serious illness or injury, nurses at the hospital should evaluate your fall risk. If they determine you have an increased likelihood of slipping, tripping or falling, they should place a yellow bracelet on your wrist. This bracelet...

When you go to the hospital, you will likely see posters touting the safety precautions the facility puts in place, but none highlighting medical mistakes.  If you are about to undergo surgery, you must depend on the skill of your surgeon and trust that you will not...

The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention classifies a medication error as a preventable event that creates adverse effects or inappropriate use. U.S. consumers report more than 1 million such errors to the Food and Drug...

Many types of cancer are easier to treat when diagnosed early. Unfortunately, your doctor may fail to recognize cancer symptoms, giving the disease a chance to spread before you seek treatment.  Learn more about failure to diagnose cancer and determine whether you or...

In a health care setting, a patient fall constitutes a "never event." According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a never event is a serious, preventable safety issue in a hospital or nursing home. Nevertheless, AHRQ reports that 50% of nursing home...