Hospital Negligence
The Terrible Cost of the Cone of Silence
Nobody wants to think about medical mistakes, but they happen all the time. What is even more frustrating is hospitals and doctors do all they can to hide the mistakes and avoid taking responsibility for failures in their systems. This so-called cone of silence occurs when information is kept confidential among a select few. In the medical field, doctors may feel they need to protect other doctors, and hospitals may feel they need to protect their bottom line. But covering up medical malpractice is never acceptable. Here’s why.
Infections Confirmed in Porter Adventist Surgery Patients
The Colorado Health Department has confirmed surgical site infections in a number of patients who received surgery at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver. The number of patients has not been released; the types of infection have not been disclosed. Porter Adventist is currently under investigation after Colorado health inspectors discovered that the hospital failed to comply with mandatory sterilization protocols on surgical equipment between July 21, 2016, and April 5, 2018. The health department was notified of the breach on February 21st, and conducted an on-site survey the next day.
Infection Dangers to Consider Before Heading to the Hospital
“The older you are, the worse the hospital is for you.” That CNN headline grabbed attention when it was originally published in August 2016, and it is just as true now as it was then. The article, written by a correspondent for Kaiser Health News, detailed how elderly patients check into hospitals to be treated and leave in much worse condition. “About one-third of patients over 70 years old and more than half of patients over 85 leave the hospital more disabled than when they arrived, research shows.” The danger of hospitals is real, but it is not limited to…