Granted, ER doctors have a tough job. They are often faced with seriously ill or injured patients and have very little information about their overall health or medical history. But from my perspective, emergency room physicians in Virginia still make far too many errors and mistakes in providing good medical care to their patients….and a recently released study supports my opinion.
The new study (Doctors Company, Emergency Medicine Closed Claims Study – April 13, 2015) concludes that most claims against emergency room physicians involve failure to establish a diagnosis or making an improper or delayed diagnosis. The study, a review of 332 emergency medicine malpractice claims closed from 2007 to 2013, found 57 percent alleged faulty patient assessment, such as failing to order diagnostic tests, address abnormal findings, or take into account the available clinical information. Two of the most often misdiagnosed conditions were myocardial infarction (heart attack) and pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs). Both are deadly conditions.
Have you or a family member experienced poor medical care in any of the following Emergency Departments in Southwest Virginia?
Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital; Carilion Giles Community Hospital; Carilion New River Valley Medical Center; Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital; Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital; Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital; LewisGale Hospital – Alleghany; LewisGale Hospital – Pulaski; LewisGale Medical Center; LewisGale Hospital Montgomery; Buchanan General Hospital; Clinch Valley Medical Center; Danville Regional Medical Center; Dickenson Community Hospital; Johnston Memorial Hospital; Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County; Norton Community Hospital; Russell County Medical Center; Smyth County Community Hospital; Twin County Regional Hospital; Wellmont Lonesome Pine Hospital; Wellmont Mountain View Regional Medical Center; or Wythe County Community Hospital .
If so, let us hear about your experiences.