Electronic health records (EHR) are used in medical care in the name of efficiency and patient safety, among other benefits. However, there is new evidence that EHRs are a leading cause of a serious medical error – misdiagnosis.
Electronic health records are computerized patient charts used by most medical care facilities. They provide easy access to patient information – personal identification and health history – and allow for easy sharing among healthcare providers.
According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, a federal ...
When people are too tired to drive safely, they often don’t know it – or won’t admit it.
Driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and distracted driving are all causes of catastrophic motor vehicle crashes. Drowsy driving is as well.
Dangerously Fatigued Truck Drivers
Over-the-road truck drivers are subject to federal Hours of Service Rules. These rules limit how many hours per day and per week a commercial truck driver can be behind the wheel.
In a rush to deliver cargo and then pick up another load, some truck drivers may ignore warning signs of dangerous fatigue ...
Patient safety organizations recently updated medical care center guidelines designed to prevent one potentially catastrophic medical error: hospital-acquired infections.
Hospital-acquired infections (HAI), are infections that occur directly as a result of medical care. They are given this label when patients enter a medical facility for treatment not related to the infection and occur:
- Within 48 hours of admission
- Within three days following discharge
- Within 30 days following a surgical procedure
The federal government reports that tens of thousands of patients die ...
A traffic safety organization recently published a plan to combat major causes of serious car crashes. Two of those causes are impaired driving and distracted driving.
The Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety (Advocates) is a nonprofit coalition of public and private entities with a mission to stop fatal motor vehicle accidents. Last December it published its 2023 “Roadmap to Safety Report,” describing it as a comprehensive plan to combat roadway crashes, fatalities, and injuries.
Two negligent driving actions known to cause serious motor vehicle accidents – driving ...
New research shows that doctors successfully sued over serious medical errors are much more likely to make medical errors with patients in the future.
According to a 2016 Johns Hopkins University study, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Types Of Medical Errors
Broad categories of potentially catastrophic medical errors include:
• Hospital-acquired infections
• Misdiagnosis
• Surgical errors
• Drug administration mistakes
When healthcare providers make serious, preventable errors, patients and their families have the legal ...
The federal government is poised to implement a measure designed to help prevent crashes due to dangerous, inattentive truck drivers.
The federal infrastructure law, passed in 2021, includes a provision for improving commercial trucking safety. It requires that most new large commercial trucks have automatic emergency braking systems by the end of this year.
Passenger cars have had automatic emergency braking systems (AEB) for years. AEB can help prevent fatal crashes by detecting dangers ahead and automatically stopping the vehicle when the driver fails to do so.
Distracted Or ...
A study released last fall concludes that heavier workloads for some physicians can lead to serious diagnostic errors with radiology scans.
In September 2022, American Radiology published the findings of a study conducted by University of Wisconsin researchers (“Impact of Shift Volume on Neuroradiology Diagnostic Errors at a Large Tertiary Academic Center”). The study’s goal was to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between workloads and diagnostic errors made by neuroradiologists.
The study concluded there is. And often times their diagnostic ...
Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs are a danger to others. A new federal government report identifies the drugs, including alcohol, that pose the most risk for serious crashes by impaired drivers.
An organization focused on preventing patient harm from preventable medical errors recently released a list that spotlights the dangers from defective medical devices.
ECRI is a nonprofit organization that evaluates the safety of medical devices as part of its mission to make healthcare safer. In January it released its “Top 10 Healthcare Technology Hazards” for 2023.
ECRI compiled the list through a comprehensive process of testing medical devices, reviewing reports highlighting problems, observing hospital practices, and speaking with healthcare providers. The ...
Speeding is a careless driving behavior that can cause serious crashes. An organization focused on preventing catastrophic truck accidents recently revealed just how prevalent speeding drivers are today.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is an organization focused on commercial trucking safety. In July 2022 it held Operation Safe Driver Week, an annual event designed to stop dangerous drivers. CVSA announced the results in late November.
Law enforcement in the United States and Canada cited commercial truck drivers and passenger drivers for unsafe driving – more than ...
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