Jacksonville Injury Attorney Blog
The United States’ Federal Health and Human Services Department issued a troubling 2009 quality report on the rates of hospital-acquired infections. The report requested “urgent attention” to address the problem.
It is estimated that approximately 98,000 people a year die from medical errors or malpractice, including preventable infections.
The report outlines that rates of bloodstream infections following surgery increased 8%, urinary infections from the use of a catheter following surgery increased 3.6%, and the incidence for a series of other common infections increased 1.6%.
As Jacksonville nursing home negligence and medical malpractice attorneys, we review cases involving many such infections, particularly clostridium difficile infections (C. diff.), staph infections, and sepsis. Many of these infections can be prevented. According Dr. Carolyn Clancy, head of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “We know that focused attention to eliminating health care acquired infections can reduce them dramatically.”
The result of such infections, especially if sepsis sets in, can be death or serious permanent injuries. Perhaps the cry to reduce patients’ ability to bring medical malpractice claims is misplaced. Would our roadways be safer if car manufacturers were protected from being sued for defects?
If you have any questions about a medical malpractice or nursing home abuse case in the Jacksonville, Florida, or Northeast Florida area, please contact our Jacksonville medical malpractice and nursing home abuse lawyers for a free consultation.