The majority of medical professionals in New Mexico work diligently every day to provide the best possible care for their patients. Unfortunately, not every hospital provides the kind of care that their patients expect and deserve.
A survey of Halifax Hospital Medical Center in Florida determined that conditions at the hospital were so bad that the safety of patients was threatened. An example of this hospital negligence includes one cleaning person who used the same water to mop the floor and an operating room table. These findings threaten the hospital’s provider agreement with Medicare and Medicaid. If Halifax loses this agreement, they could lose up to 70 percent of their patients.
The investigation into the hospital staff and practices occurred after a patient underwent wrong-site surgery. She was supposed to undergo vascular graft surgery on her left leg but the doctor performed the procedure on her right leg instead. Once the error was pointed out, he performed the procedure on her left leg as well. When the patient awoke, she was informed that the surgery was justified given her medical history and asked to sign a consent form for the right leg procedure. As if that was not bad enough, she ended up needing eight or nine more surgeries due to infections she developed at the incision sites.
If you are a victim of medical negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills or your pain and suffering. You may want to contact an attorney to discuss your legal options.
Source: Orlando Sentinel, “Patient at Halifax Hospital has surgery on wrong leg,” Marni Jameson, August 15, 2013
