MICHIGAN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PREVENTION

Unfortunately, it is difficult to prevent Michigan medical malpractice mishaps from occurring. Often times, a patient is under sedation and has absolutely no control over what is happening. Physicians, nurses, and other health practitioners may appear to be competent when, in actuality, they have little idea about your case, procedure, etc.

While you can never fully protect yourself from medical malpractice mistakes, there are some steps you can take to reduce the chance that they will occur: 

1.    Before undergoing any type of surgical procedure, check the medical malpractice record of your physician. Recent studies (as well as common sense) indicate that a physician who has committed a medical malpractice mistake in the past is more likely to commit one in the future.  

2.    Your physician should be board certified to perform your particular procedure. Health-related danger often comes from qualified doctors performing procedures that they know little about.

3.    Inquire how often your hospital performs this particular operation, as well as the number of adverse incidents they reported last year.  Studies have shown that hospitals that do not perform specific operation very often are more likely to have complications and/or adverse health effects. Inquire as to the last rating they received from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

4.    Ask for a detailed description of the operation, along with any complications that have occurred in the past. Inquire how frequently these complications have occurred during your surgeon’s medical history.

5.    Make sure that you know each individual who is performing your procedure—the surgeon, nurse, anesthesiologist, etc. Good healthcare practitioners understand this concern. You should always be sure that those present at the beginning of the operation will remain through to its finish.

6.    Never sign a hospital form unless you know exactly what it says.

7.    Never sign a living will unless you are certain that your condition is without hope (you should always get a 2^nd opinion) and you have accepted this outcome.

8.    Make sure you know all of the medications you are given. If you know of any medications that you are allergic to, make sure your physician knows this.

9.    Have a trusted friend or family member serve as an official observer of your operation to make sure nothing egregious occurs.

If you have experienced an adverse medical outcome and feel you have a claim, contact us to speak with a Michigan medical malpractice law firm.

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