Patient Beware

[sputnik]

sputnik.... Nosocomial infections can occur when everyone is doing their utmost to prevent them or they can occur if the proper procedures are not followed. That hospital has an epidemiologist that is responsible for the protocols covering infection control. They teach and they test. They conduct sample testing of various parts of the hospital and the staff looking for these organisms and they have to keep records by law (they are inspected by JCHO). If there is proof that they had a MRSA outbreak that was out of control when you were infected you might be able to claim some sort of negligence. It is a stretch. Hospitals are where sick people are and sick people (meaning you too) are more susceptible to getting opportunistic infections. Sorry to hear about your accident. Ratty business that. Makes you appreciate life a whole lot more doesn't it?

Yes, I do appreciate life a lot more. The hospital did have a MRSA problem and has been instituting pretty rigorous controls - they are now a beta site for the CDC I believe. Regardless, I would never consider making a claim for negligence here. The docs and staff truly pulled me back from the brink - they're my heroes. I think I'm over the complications now except for one more surgery to correct an incisional hernia.

As I said, I'm not looking for any relief but how often do hospitals voluntarily own up to complications caused by exposure within their facility? I know it's a can of worms liabilitywise, but at some point, I would think they would voluntarily step up and say "our fault, we'll fix it for you - no charge" rather than bill for expensive procedures to correct an unrelated problem that the patient didn't have prior to the hospitalization.

[oscarsear]

sputnik.... Nosocomial infections can occur when everyone is doing their utmost to prevent them or they can occur if the proper procedures are not followed. That hospital has an epidemiologist that is responsible for the protocols covering infection control. They teach and they test. They conduct sample testing of various parts of the hospital and the staff looking for these organisms and they have to keep records by law (they are inspected by JCHO). If there is proof that they had a MRSA outbreak that was out of control when you were infected you might be able to claim some sort of negligence. It is a stretch. Hospitals are where sick people are and sick people (meaning you too) are more susceptible to getting opportunistic infections. Sorry to hear about your accident. Ratty business that. Makes you appreciate life a whole lot more doesn't it?

Yes, I do appreciate life a lot more.  The hospital did have a MRSA problem and has been instituting pretty rigorous controls - they are now a beta site for the CDC I believe. Regardless, I would never consider making a claim for negligence here.  The docs and staff truly pulled me back from the brink - they're my heroes.  I think I'm over the complications now except for one more surgery to correct an incisional hernia.

As I said, I'm not looking for any relief but how often do hospitals voluntarily own up to complications caused by exposure within their facility?  I know it's a can of worms liabilitywise, but at some point, I would think they would voluntarily step up and say "our fault, we'll fix it for you - no charge" rather than bill for expensive procedures to correct an unrelated problem that the patient didn't have prior to the hospitalization.

 

I do not know the true answer but in my experience I would say that "no" they would not volunteer liability for any but the most blatant of errors. Over the last 40 years hospitals have reduced staffing levels to critical levels in cost cutting measures. Workloads are so heavy now that RNs run from patient to patient and often accept liability for the actions of multiple LVNs who also run from patient to patient. Errors are bound to occur in that situation and they do happen and they can be deadly serious. Whenever anyone I know is in the hospital I do my utmost to insure their safe and proper care. Even then boo-boos happen. My mom got dropped to the floor during an imaging study while an inpatient. She got bruised and scared and OOPs was the response from the staff.