Archive for the ‘Prescriptions’ Category
How Much Money are Medical Errors at Kansas City Hospitals Costing You?
May 11th, 2011
Posted in Brain Surgery Accidents, medical errors, Medical Malpractice, Prescriptions
At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys we are well aware of the problems and concerns with our Health Care System. Do you know the biggest problem costing Americans billions of dollars every year? It may surprise you to know that according to a recent report published by the journal of Health Affairs, preventable medical errors are the single biggest factor on the health system. The report published this month reveals that nearly .45 cents of every dollar is going to covering medical errors. The same report lists infection control as the most troubling area within the medical error problem.
The numbers are staggering. Think about this: over 250,000 infection related medical errors racked up a whopping bill tallying well over $3 billion. Obviously, this number is shockingly high, especially when you consider that as recently as 1999, the Institute of Medicine published a statistic that 98,000 people died every year because of medical error. The good news is this statistic more than got the attention of the medical community. The bad news is that despite a more concerned effort to fix these problems, by 2006 that number had increased to over 187,000 deaths and an even more shocking 6.1 million injuries. These fatalities and injuries put a hefty tag of somewhere between $393 and 958 billion.
Our Kansas City Defective Medical Device Lawyers, we are rightfully concerned about the growing number of medical errors at hospitals around the country. This is one reason why we work hard to protect victims of medical malpractice in Kansas and Missouri. As a patient, you have the right to expect the best when it comes to the people you are paying hard earned money to take care of you. If you’re going through a medical crisis and have to undergo a complicated surgery because of it– the last thing you want to be is concerned about how focused the surgeon is or how clean the operating table is.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as the result of a prescription medication or a defective medical device, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including lost wages, medical bills and legal fees. Before you try and take on the insurance companies, call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyer James Roswold. With over 15 years of experience in Medical Malpractice and Defective Medical Device Injury cases, we may be able to help you and your family get through this difficult and stressful time.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to set up a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim. You can get started today by downloading our free guide, “The Truth About Medical Malpractice in Kansas and Missouri“. We want you to know your rights.
Are Kansas City Patients on Stronger Medications More Likely to Overdose?
April 18th, 2011
Posted in medical errors, Medical Malpractice, Prescriptions
At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, we know pain killers like Vicodin and Oxycontin can be addictive which can often lead to an accidental overdose and recent research is beginning to link the increase of these accidental deaths to higher increases in prescription dosages. Now a published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association may back up that claim. A study shows that between 1999 and 2007 the rate of unintentional overdose increased by a whopping 124% in the U.S. and it is strongly believed it is because of stronger prescriptions and greater dosages.
1.5 million people every year are seriously injured because of prescription errors, including right here in Kansas City.
The study conducted by researchers from the Veteran Affairs Department looked at data on 750 accidental opioid overdose deaths that occurred from 2004 to 2008 as well as a random sample of almost 155,000 patients who received opioids to treat pain in 2004 or 2005. The study shows that patients who received a higher maximum daily dose (100 milligrams/day or more) were more likely to overdose than those who received a lower maximum daily dose (between 1 and 20 mg/day).
Our experienced Kansas City Medical Malpractice Lawyers want you to be safe from medication errors that can cause serious injury if not death. If you take a prescription medication, always take it according to the directions given to you by your doctor of pharmacist. Never increase your dosage without first consulting your doctor. These medications are often dosed according to many factors such as body weight, diet and other medical factors. If you feel you are taking a drug and are having side effects because the dosage is too high, contact your doctor immediately. This could be because of a serious and possibly fatal reaction to the medication.
If you or someone you love has suffered as serious injury because of Medical Malpractice in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including lost wages, medical bills and even legal fees. Call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys James Roswold and Heather Lottman. With over 15 years of experience in Medical Malpractice cases including Prescription Errors and Accidents, we may be able to help you and your family get through this difficult time.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to set up a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim. You can get started today by downloading our free book, “The Ultimate Guide to Medical Malpractice in Kansas and Missouri“. We want you to know your rights.
Diet Pill Meridia May Cause Heart Disease; Check With Your Kansas City Doctor First
September 20th, 2010
Posted in medical errors, Medical Malpractice, Prescriptions
Consumers who are taking the pill Meridia are encouraged to pay attention to a recent medical report that suggests that the diet drug could lead to heart attacks, strokes and heart disease. The drug, which is supposed to help patients lose weight has undergone its share of scrutiny lately because of reports it also increases blood pressure in those who take it. Because of new reports that suggest it can cause fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, strokes and lead to deadly heart disease, there is a resounding call for Meridia to be pulled from the consumer market.
The study is the reaction to at least 17 deaths between 2002 and 2009, in which the victims all suffered heart failure or disease and all were taking the drug, Meridia. In each of these cases, the deceased was young with no previous history of heart disease.
As Kansas City Defective Medical Device Lawyers, we encourage you to do your homework when taking any diet supplement. Always consult your doctor or physician before taking any kind of diet pill or supplement.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as the result of a prescription medication or a defective medical device, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including lost wages, medical bills and legal fees. Before you try and take on the insurance companies, call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyer James Roswold. With over 15 years of experience in Medical Malpractice and Defective Medical Device Injury cases, we can help you determine the best way to proceed with your claim.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys today and find out how you can get a free consultation.
Haysville, KS Doctor Indicted In Connection To More Deaths
April 13th, 2010
Posted in Prescriptions
In recent medical malpractice related news, Dr. Stephen Schneider and his wife Linda, who is a nurse at his clinic, have been cited in connection with causing nine additional deaths as a result of their alleged attempts to dispose of prescription drugs in an illegal manner, bringing the total number of deaths they are accused of to 68 . These allegations have led to the couple being accused with defrauding both patients and health insurance providers in a seemingly despicable way.
The indictment depicts Dr. Schneider’s practice as an irresponsible and unorganized health care clinic. Several examples of illicit behavior are cited in the indictment, including incomplete medical records, providing repeated prescriptions to patients with a history of overdosing on those same previously prescribed medications, and even go so far as to suggest that Linda Schneider was forging her husband’s signature on certain prescriptions.
The attorney for the Schneiders claims that these unproven allegations are simply there to try to attach more blame to the Schneiders in an attempt to strengthen what he claims is a weak case due, in part, to the fact that several of the new deaths in question occurred while the Schneiders were already in jail.
As this case is still ongoing, it is unfair to judge the actions of the Schneiders one way or the other. However, it is fair to mention that those who hold a prescription pad and a pen hold a lot of power and that power should never be misused. Unfortunately prescription mistakes occur all to frequently.
