When people visit a doctor or go to the hospital, it is usually because they are experiencing pain and discomfort, weight loss, or other symptoms. They expect to receive competent and quality care, which includes finding answers regarding their problems. Learning how to properly treat a person’s ailments is crucial to their long-term health. A correct diagnosis must be given in order to know what treatments or medication are necessary to cure or fix certain conditions. Unfortunately, doctors do not always make correct diagnoses, and in some situations, a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis can lead to serious and even life-threatening complications. Depending on the circumstances, a patient may be able to pursue a medical malpractice claim to receive compensation for the damages suffered due to a misdiagnosis. 

Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis is one of the most common forms of medical negligence. It occurs when a medical professional diagnoses a patient with the wrong illness, injury, or medical condition. A patient’s health can deteriorate due to a lack of treatment or improper treatment. In some situations, patients can develop entirely new health disorders if they are prescribed incorrect medications. Treating the wrong condition can also lead infections to spread throughout the body, which may result in organ failure or septic shock. 

Missed Diagnosis

When a missed or delayed diagnosis occurs, it typically means that a physician fails to properly diagnose a medical condition in a patient. In many illnesses, the timing of treatment is critical. A person’s health can then worsen over time if they do not receive treatment because their condition has gone undiagnosed. For instance, a delayed cancer diagnosis may cause cancer in one part of the body to spread to other body parts or organs, making it much more difficult to treat.

Many people take prescribed medication on a daily basis for a variety of health conditions. Individuals may also take medicine for a designated period of time after an illness or surgical procedure to combat the side effects or to avoid infections and other complications. Dosages are calculated using many factors, such as a patient’s height, weight, age, and underlying medical conditions. However, if the incorrect amount or the wrong type of medicine is given, a person can suffer serious injuries. In these cases, a physician, nurse, or pharmacist may be found liable for any damages a person experienced because of a medication error or other forms of medical malpractice. 

How Do Medication Mistakes Occur?

There are several reasons why medication errors take place. They may be the result of a lapse in judgment by the caregiver, or they can be due to an understaffed medical facility. Poor healthcare provider/patient communication, incomplete or missing medical records, and the absence of standardized precautions can also contribute to the likelihood of errors. It is important to note that a majority of medication administration errors occur in hospitalized children. This may be due to the fact that young people have never taken certain medicines before, so it can be difficult to determine an accurate dosage or prescription to give them. 

A few of the most common types of medication errors involve the following: