PA Hospitals Low On Safety
What is more concerning than an emergency or ailing health? A hospital that has a low rank in patient safety! When people go to the hospital, they hope to be treated and cared for. Some PA hospitals rank very low for patient safety. What does this mean for you?
What Is Patient Safety?
Patient safety is measured by the occurrence and frequency of avoidable harm and injuries. This includes but is not limited to:
- slip and falls
- patient drops
- sanitization and cleanliness
- preventing infections
- surgical errors
- preventing adverse and serious events
- medication errors
- and more
Patient safety rankings are important to hospitals and patients. The rankings provide information for hospitals to compare and improve procedures and safety. Leapfrog is a non-profit watchdog group that tracks safety and quality of healthcare in the United States.
A Nationwide Hospital Inspection
In 2022, an independent watchdog group has shared the results of a nationwide inspection of hospitals. Hospitals in Pennsylvania ranked as some of the lowest in the country for patient safety.
The poor rankings include:
- patient safety
- risk of slip and falls
- prevention of serious conditions that are treatable/preventable
The watchdog group cited low staffing and lack of proper training as the main contributing factors. Proper staff levels and training are essential to patient safety. Some of the issues found in the inspections fall under premises liability. Other issues are directly related to medical malpractice.
Medical Malpractice Comes into Play
Where there is improperly trained staff and shortages, mistakes are more likely to happen. This doesn’t necessarily translate as medical malpractice. If you have suffered physical harm, you may have a valid claim for compensation. For medical malpractice claims, you need to be able to prove 3 things:
- a violation of the standard of care
- the violation was the direct cause of harm or increased the risk of harm
- the extent of damages
Medical malpractice claims are complicated. Learn more about medical malpractice claims:
Do I Have A Lawsuit?
If you were in a hospital and suffered additional harm or injury, contact an attorney for a consultation. There is a 2-year time limit to file a claim, but attorneys need time to investigate before filing a claim. For best results, contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Haggerty Silverman & Justice Law Firm
Do you have a medical malpractice claim? Did you experience an injury related to your hospital stay? Are you located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Maryland? We are here to help. Contact Haggerty Silverman & Justice for a free consultation with a medical malpractice attorney. You don’t pay us anything unless we recover money for you.