Medical Malpractice

• How Would Tort Reform Affect the Quality of Emergency Healthcare?

  Staff Writer | June 14, 2007 7:00 AM | 2 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  In 1975, the California State Legislature passed the California Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) which placed a cap on damages for medical malpractice claims. According to this Act, an injured plaintiff cannot recover non-economic losses in excess of $250,000. This tort reform statute has been in effect in California for thirty-two years. Because this California law has been in...

• Child Cancer Patients and Medication Errors

  Staff Writer | May 27, 2007 9:00 AM | 1 CommentPhoenix, AZ

  As if struggling with and battling cancer is not enough, according to a researcher at Johns Hopkins Children Center, children often must also face the additional battle of having to overcome problems relating to medication errors. Children with cancer often get the wrong dose of chemotherapy or are given the drug at the wrong time, and many require treatment because of the errors, U.S....

• Walgreens Pharmacy Held Accountable for Prescription Error

  Staff Writer | October 16, 2007 6:33 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  A Coconino County jury awarded one of the largest wrongful death verdicts to the family of a high school coach who died after taking a lethal combination of medications which should never have been dispensed together. The jury found that Walgreens pharmacy should have warned the patient and his physician about the lethal and toxic effects that the pain medications Tramadol and Methadone have...

• World Health Organization Reports that Medical Errors Affect One in Ten Patients

  Staff Writer | May 02, 2007 7:30 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  According to the World Health Organization, healthcare errors affect one out of every ten patients worldwide. Based on this alarming trend, the World Health Organization prepared patient safety checklists to help professional healthcare providers avoid simple medical mistakes. By following the "Nine Patient Safety Solutions," the organization hopes to see substantial medical error rate...

• Tort Refrom Criticism from the Oklahoma Supreme Court

  Staff Writer | December 21, 2006 1:45 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  I recently came across an opinion from the Oklahoma Supreme Court released onto its web site on December 19, 2006 but not yet formally published which presents an interesting analysis of tort reform in the state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Supreme Court in an almost unanimous decision struck down a tort reform initiative requiring an expert affidavit of merit to accompany every new medical...

• Medication Errors Cause Patient Harm

  Staff Writer | July 21, 2006 11:38 AM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Yesterday the Institute of Medicine issued a press-release concerning its report on medication errors. According to the Institute of Medicine, Medication errors are among the most common medical errors, harming at least 1.5 million people every year, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. The extra medical costs of treating drug-related injuries occurring...

• Using Technology to Reduce Medical Errors

  Staff Writer | June 14, 2006 10:06 AM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  In the past, I have referred to a 1999 study by the Institute of Medicine which linked medical errors to the deaths of between 44,000 and 98,000 people annually. Recently, it has come to my attention that one error reduction strategy available to physicians involves the use of technology in doctors' medical practices. Unfortunately, according to an article in yesterday's Tucson Citizen, only...

• Emergency Medicine Reform

  Staff Writer | May 03, 2006 1:35 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Yesterday, Governor Napolitano vetoed a measure passed by the Arizona legislature that would have heightened the burden of proof required to assert a claim against physicians arising out of poor emergency medical care. If Governor Napolitano had not vetoed this legislation, a patient victim would have to present "clear and convincing" evidence of medical malpractice when submitting claims...

• Patient Errors in Hospitals

  Staff Writer | April 19, 2006 10:11 AM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Today I saw another blogger's post about increasing patient safety problems at our nation's hospitals as well as unique perspectives about these problems. Take a look at this post and its cynical implications on the medical malpractice reform debate in our country. I must warn you, however, that this overall blog site presents a completely different perspective and approach to the practice of...

• The Medical Malpractice Reform Debate Continues

  Staff Writer | March 27, 2006 6:32 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Well it appears that Arizona Senator Jon Kyl has been constantly denouncing plaintiff attorneys for representing victims of medical malpractice so no wonder why he has supported a new idea to "reform" our justice system. According to a recent article in the Arizona Republic, Kyl supports the idea of special health courts to "try" medical malpractice cases without juries. Well Senator Kyl, with...