HOW MUCH DOES A DOCTOR’S WORKING ENVIRONMENT CONTRIBUTE TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE?
Plenty of research studies over the last couple of decades have identified that the working environment for physicians as well the training you receive can have a significant impact on medical malpractice.
Doctors are expected to go through rigorous training and often work long hours in order to qualify for residency and other opportunities. The public, however, has recently shown concerns about the relaxed doctor-in-training work schedules and shifts.
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is reviewing residency programs at teaching universities and hospitals. In 2011 the ACGME mandated restricted work hours for residents in their first year including one 16 consecutive hour cap for each shift.
The American Medical Student Association and Public Citizen both shared evidence about concerns of lifting this cap despite allegations that the caps may not improve outcomes for patients.
Physicians in a residency program work extremely long hours and sometimes on very little sleep. Combined with the advanced pressure of preparing for a career as a physician, this drove some to have psychological breakdowns or even experience physical illnesses.
The push back from the graduate medical community was there needed to be a cap on hours in order to protect patient safety and allow doctors to do their jobs with plenty of sleep and opportunities away from work.
The public is opposed to lifting the 16-hour cap for any interns. The study included 500 likely voters and the project managers found that an overwhelming majority of people supported a 16-hour maximum shift duration for not just first year residents but all the residents. Public Citizen represents 40,000 doctors in residency programs and in training.
Healthcare systems are under the spotlight for reducing medical errors particularly since programs like the Affordable Care Act and Medicare penalize hospitals that have poor care or high rates of error.
Many different research studies have evaluated the number of preventable medical errors occurring in the United State, stipulating that it is often patients who pay the price when residents are pushed too far.
Some physician educators and hospitals have argued that these caps do not actually contribute to better patient safety outcomes since it usually means that a patient’s medical care is passed off to another physician or a healthcare specialist when the doctor has reached the 16-hour cap. This is why the ACGME delayed their decision on whether or not to lift these caps.
What to Do If You’ve Been a Victim of Medical Malpractice
If you or someone you know has already been injured as a result of medical malpractice, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice claim by consulting with an experienced attorney.
Speaking with an attorney immediately may help you uncover the legal aspects of your case and allow you to begin collecting evidence that will support your claim for medical malpractice recovery.
You can anticipate that the physician involved and his or her representative in the form of lawyers and insurance companies will act swiftly to avoid any and all allegations of medical malpractice.
Get Help from Washington, DC Medical Malpractice Attorney Today
Serious medical errors could lead to costly medical treatments for you as well as pain and suffering compensation depending on the specifics of your case.
You need to have an advocate in your corner working for you from day one and this is why you need to hire a medical malpractice lawyer who you can trust.