However, it is the Doctor s job to use his best judgment to determine the causes. When the patient develops new complaints of an illness, he or she is entitled to expanded physical examinations. This includes more time-consuming or expensive testing. With standard care of the patient the doctor must do what is required to arrive at a diagnosis. Medical malpractice is occurring in hospitals and nursing homes more then we think.
Many incidents result in death.
A Harvard study conducted in 1992, shows nearly 155,000 Americans die in hospitals each year as the result of medical accidents, such as drug overdoses and infected wounds. This 155,000 is three times higher than the number of people killed each year in traffic accidents. From these statistics medical injury is indeed a hidden epidemic. When patients seek medical help for injuries, illness and diseases sometimes they encounter a no win survival incident. Often when these incidents occur, family members of the patient learn to accept the loss of the loved one in hospital care.