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Medical Malpractice

• Are You at Risk of a Wrong Site Surgery Mistake at a Kansas City Hospital?

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Would Your Kansas City Doctor Report an Impaired or Incompetent Colleague?

If your Kansas City doctor was in some way incompetent or impaired, you would want to know about it. And more than that, you would want his or her colleagues to report the issue to the appropriate authorities on the medical board.

Unfortunately, doctor responses to a recent national survey suggest that you may not be able to trust your doctor to blow the whistle when they know or suspect that a fellow doctor is impaired or incompetent in some manner, and is therefore unfit to practice medicine. Such instances and circumstances would include, but are not limited to: times when patients are being over-drugged, misdiagnosed, and prescribed the wrong medication as well as times when doctors are performing surgeries under the influence of alcohol and possibly illegal drugs.

The survey, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), questioned doctors nationwide on their experiences related to impaired and incompetent colleagues. According to the responses collected, nearly one-third of the 200 doctors who were polled for the survey felt it wasn't their responsibility to turn in an unfit fellow doctor. At the time of the survey just 69% of the doctors polled who knew about an impaired or incompetent doctor had reported them.

There are many reasons doctors are hesitant to turn in a co-worker. Many of them fear losing their job or having their practice suffer because they are afraid to lose referrals from other doctors. A significant number of doctors said the biggest reason they failed to turn in a colleague was either because they felt someone else had already taken care of it or because they felt that nothing was going to come of it anyway.

According to Dr. Catherine DesRoches at the Mongan Institute for Health in Boston, Massachusetts, the best way to ensure more doctors feel comfortable turning in a fellow doctor for improper behavior is to offer a confidential, if not anonymous reporting system. She also makes the point that educating young doctors on what to do and to whom to report such activity should start in medical school.

If you or someone you love have suffered serious injury and feel you are the victim of a medical malpractice or wrongful misdiagnosis, you need someone you can trust. Contact the experienced Kansas City medical malpractice attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys for a free consultation. Our lawyers have over 15 years of experience in medical malpractice cases and can help you determine if you have a claim against your doctor or medical provider.

The best way to avoid becoming a victim of medical misdiagnosis in Kansas City is to get a second and even third opinion of your condition, especially if you have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness or are in a situation whenin you are likely to rack up significant medical bills. If you are diagnosed with an ailment or disease by your primary physician, it is always good to get an impartial second opinion from a doctor that specializes in that field.

If you feel you have been wrongly diagnosed or have suffered an injury resultant of an incompetent or impaired doctor, the Kansas City medical malpractice lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys may be able to help. Call 888.348.2616 toll free to schedule a free consultation and download our free guide, "The Truth About Medical Malpractice Claims".

Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys
1102 Grand Blvd., Ste 1901
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-471-5111
Toll Free: 888-348-2616
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• Posted on 7/29/2011Kansas City Hospitals Exceed National Average for Medical Mistakes
• Posted on 5/11/2011Medical Errors a Growing Problem for U.S. Health Care System

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Medical Malpractice

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