These medical mistakes should never happen

Residents of Ohio trust their doctors and other health care professionals to provide adequate care. Unfortunately, certain medical mistakes can happen and result in injuries. Incidents known as “never events” form the basis of many medical malpractice claims.

What are never events?

A never event is a type of medical mistake that should never happen. Many of them result in serious, adverse effects that are usually preventable.

Never events commonly affect older individuals but can affect patients of all ages. A few that commonly impact older patients include bedsores, falls, infections occurring at hospitals and even transfusions with the wrong blood type.

When a never event occurs in a hospital setting, the patient should not have to pay for any treatment related to correct that episode. Never events fall under the category of medical malpractice, which means the hospital should be responsible for paying for it and any other problems that the patient develops as a result.

What are some of the most common examples of never events?

Some of the most prominent never events are surgical errors. This can manifest in surgery being performed on the right patient but on the wrong body part or in surgery being done on the wrong patient altogether. Improper use of a medical device on a patient that results in serious injury or death is also very common. Serious injuries or death that occur due to the failure of a doctor or other health care professional to follow up on laboratory testing are common as well.

Sometimes, patients can suffer after being over-medicated. This is especially common when antibiotics are involved and the patient subsequently experiences harm after becoming resistant to the medication.

Never events and medical malpractice as a whole should never happen. If you or a loved one has suffered from such an event, you may want to hold the at-fault party liable.