Is Technology Increasing Medical Malpractice Suits?

Much like every industry, healthcare has seen an explosion of technology. Of course, there are numerous benefits to harnessing these new technologies; if administration time can be saved, patients can be seen faster and diagnosed easier, especially with some of the latest diagnostic tools available.

However, is technology really reliable, or do things go wrong more often than they did before? Speaking about the issue, a Long Island medical malpractice lawyer said that medical malpractice figures were still deeply concerning. In America alone, there are 100,000 cases each year of people either dying or being injured because of medical malpractice.

What are Medical Malpractice Errors?

Unfortunately, medical malpractice errors can occur in almost any area of healthcare. But the most common occurrences happen with surgical errors, delays in treatment, prescription dosing errors, anesthesia issues, emergency room, neglect, or a complete failure to diagnose. It is fair to assume that technology is being used in your healthcare setting as it will be unlikely for any practised function without technology in this day and age.

Medical Technology Has Benefits

There is little doubt that there are positive sides to advancement in medical technology. It has given us a lot more understanding when it comes to various conditions, how they can be accurately and quickly diagnosed, and then, of course, the best ways to treat them.

By using technology, healthcare professionals are able to spend more time with their patients, and rural practices have been able to upscale. Thanks to the better care that can be offered with the use of technology.

Technology does lower the risk of human errors with issues like recordkeeping and filing, but of course, it’s not infallible.

But it Also Has Disadvantages 

Although computers do not make errors, they simply follow their programming, and the human operating the technology is certainly prone to mistakes. Keeping up with the latest developments in technology is harder for some people than others, and there is a bedding in process with all new IT systems.

In this period, the instance of error greatly increases. Information may be input incorrectly or not at all. Imagine the dire consequences of a patient receiving a dose of medication where the calculation for the amount given contained a decimal point in the wrong place. It is the sort of error that is being seen by medical malpractice lawyers.

Technology Can Go Wrong 

The bottom line here is that we have to accept that technology is fallible. We have to understand that users can input things incorrectly, and all of this can lead to very distressing consequences for the patients and their families.

It is important that healthcare does not become entirely reliant on the technology available, but healthcare professionals continue to use their years of training and knowledge to counter the information provided by technology if it seems to be incorrect.

Tests can be flawed, and there is nothing wrong with repeating a test or trying a different test if there is any likelihood that the technology has failed. It is safe to say a patient would rather have this outcome than the alternative where they suffer or even lose their life.

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Interesting Related Article: “Ten Signs You Have a Medical Malpractice Case At Hand“