Medical malpractice is not just deliberately poor behavior. It is any negligent action that harms the patient. You must understand its signs so that you, and those you love, will not become victims. Here are six major signs to beware of:
1. Delayed Diagnosis
Procrastination can cost you your life. Many serious diseases must be found early for treatment to be effective. Your medical provider must be competent at noticing signs, complete all necessary tests on-time, and fulfill appointments in a reasonable and timely manner. Any deviation from the official standard of care is considered malpractice.
2. Standard Tests Are Not Ordered
You are probably not a medical professional, so you won’t know exactly what tests that should be ordered. However, there is a standard procedure for diagnosing and treating various conditions. If you are only getting simple blood tests, you need to insist that more is done. In addition, there are certain tests to confirm a certain diagnosis. If your physician doesn’t perform those tests, then malpractice could be taking place.
3. Your Health Does Not Improve
As the patient, you have the right to understand all the treatments available to you based on your condition including medications, surgeries, and therapies. A misdiagnosis can lead to your health getting even worse. If that happens, malpractice could be taking place. On the other side, if your diagnosis is right but treatment doesn’t work, malpractice will be more difficult to prove because of other factors.
4. Your Physician Ignores You
As a patient, you have a right to receive treatment that upholds the official standard of care. This includes your physician keeping you informed and up-to-date on all phases of your treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, your medical provider must answer them to the best of their knowledge.
5. Your Physician Does Not Follow Up
Your physician should follow up with you after every surgery, treatment, or other form of major care. Your physician should discuss the results as well as your options going forward.
6. Prescribes Wrong Medication
There is no excuse for prescribing the wrong medication for a confirmed diagnosis. That is most often the result of complete negligence. If you feel like your medication is making your condition worse, you may need to contact a malpractice attorney.
These are only some signs of medical malpractice. If you feel like you are being mistreated in any form by your medical provider, then gather all the evidence and contact a malpractice attorney, such as Hilbrich Law Firm. Remember, malpractice could be anything that harms you or makes your condition worse.
This article is from Kara Masterson.
