What Are Common Medical Mistakes in Emergency Rooms?

Emergency rooms are one of the most important pillars of our nation’s health care infrastructure. In fact, more than 100 million people are treated in US emergency rooms each year. While emergency rooms are a critical aspect of our national health care system, they are also facilities that may be rife with medical errors. Common medical mistakes in emergency rooms include but are not limited to:

• Diagnostic errors. You could receive an incorrect diagnosis in an emergency room. These medical facilities may be overloaded with patients and understaffed. As a result, doctors may not spend as much time with patients. A heart attack is one type of condition that may be misdiagnosed in an emergency room.
• Medication mistakes. You could be given the wrong type of medication or the incorrect dosage while receiving treatment in an emergency room. Depending on the type of medication, both types of errors could result in injury or death. Medications may also be administered incorrectly.
• Inadequate supervision of resident physicians. Emergency rooms may employ doctors who are going through their residency. However, resident physicians should be adequately supervised by experienced doctors.
• Inadequate supervision of patients. You could be harmed if hospital staff do not properly monitor your vital signs or symptoms.
• Poor sanitation. You could develop an infection if your hospital’s emergency room is suffering from sanitation problems. Hospital staff may also expose you to dangerous pathogens if they do not follow sanitation policies.

Harmed in an Emergency Room? Call Our Washington DC Medical Malpractice Law Firm

Medical mistakes can occur in any type of health care setting, including emergency rooms. However, your situation would have to meet certain criteria for a claim to move forward.

We encourage you to speak to one of our Washington, DC emergency room medical malpractice lawyers if you or a loved one were harmed while receiving treatment in an emergency room. Regan Zambri Long PLLC is a Washington DC medical malpractice law firm with experience handling medical negligence cases.