According to the results of a study done by a leading medical malpractice insurance company, 46 percent of orthopedic surgery medical malpractice claims are related to improper surgical performance, and 16 percent of claims are for improper patient management following a procedure.
In an effort to reduce the number of claims related to post-surgery care, a set of suggestions was created to improve the tracking of a patient’s condition following an orthopedic surgery. A key part of this was ensuring that a patient was aware of potential complications and that medical professionals ensured that problems were not developing. In cases where a complication did occur, prompt attention must also be assured.
Even if patients or their caretakers had complications and their signs explained to them before and after a surgery, the information may be too much for these individuals to keep track of. Therefore, especially in cases of outpatient surgery, it is important that medical professionals follow up with patients regularly following a surgery and that someone’s condition is tracked. This is especially important since individuals may be developing complications but are not always aware that their signs indicate problems.
Although surgery can be dangerous for patients if a doctor is not doing their job properly, even if a surgical mistake was not made, people can still develop dangerous medical conditions if they are not cared for appropriately following a procedure. Patients need to be made aware of the signs of complications, and medical professionals should track and follow up with patients to ensure they are not developing. Patients who believe that their health care practitioners have failed to do so may wish to discuss their situation with a medical malpractice attorney.
