SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
JULY/AUGUST 2017 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 49
Ask
How often is
medical malpractice
committed in the hospital
emergency department?
“Unfortunately for patients, emergency room error occurs
more frequently than we would like to think,” says Attorney
Jeffrey “Jack” Gordon, a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer who
concentrates his practice in fighting negligence by hol ding
medical professionals accountable for mistakes.
“The emergency room environment can be demanding and
fast-paced,” he says, “and this can unfortunately lead to error.
Misdiagnosis is the most common mistake we see in the ER, and
certain conditions tend to be the likeliest for a misdiagnosis. These
include heart attack, stroke, infection and meningitis.”
According to Gordon, other common types of emergency room
errors include the following: medication errors, delays in treatment,
less than thorough examinations and incorrect treatments.
He believes many emergency room errors could be prevented
with improved staffing conditions. “Increasing the number of
qualified staff members tends to reduce the time that patients
wait to receive diagnosis and treatment, preventing many
conditions that are caused by delays,” says Gordon. “Lowering
patient-to-staff ratios normally increases the amount of time
allotted to each patient; this tends to decrease improper
discharge errors and errors caused by incomplete diagnosis.
“We have found in our cases that inexperienced nurses and
physicians are more likely to make mistakes,” he says. “Some
of the hospitals we have prosecuted for malpractice thereafter
implemented staffing ratios based on experience and seniorit y.
Others have allotted more resources toward proper training to
enhance the level of care.
“There may be reasons for medical error,” says Gordon, “but reasons
are not excuses. So we must continue to hold doctors and nurses
accountable to best encourage compliance with medical standards.”
Jeffrey “Jack” Gordon
Selected to 2017 Super Lawyers
Top 50 Tampa Bay Area / Top 100 Florida
Maney | Gordon PA
101 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 3170, Tampa, FL 33602
PH: 1-866-344-LAWS / jack@maneygordon.com
FightNegligence.com
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