subject: Strategies To Banish Clinical Negligence [print this page] Clinical negligence includes issues arising due to the misconduct of the doctor, nurse, or medical-service-provider. Even among the best healthcare systems of the world, clinical negligence has reached an alarming level. Annually, thousands of people are killed, or are paralysed due to medical malpractice in hospitals, and private clinics.
In order to avoid such fatal errors, one must take precautionary measures. By following different strategies, you can eliminate clinical negligence. It is often seen that people over the age of sixty are exposed to such threats. The reason is the intake of various medications until that age. It is important to understand fully how and when to take the medication, and other essential requirements associated with your treatment.
Medical claims can arise from a wrong or delayed diagnosis, injuries during surgical processes, during child birth, a wrong decision for caesarean section, mistreatment of complicated birth, complications with induced labour, negligence in patient treatment follow ups, failure to examine treatment, cosmetic surgery malpractice, wrong amputation.
Clinical negligence can be controlled through the stepwise filtering mechanism. The role of the licensing authority is very important in the selection of a good doctor. Before issuing practice licence, the competence of the doctor has to be checked at several levels. A series of tests and assessments can be conducted to check the capabilities of the doctor. This can help in recognising the few bad apples that commit the bulk of negligence.
In case of any serious harm, it is always better to benefit from the services of special departments in hospitals that can guide people by providing suggestions to resolve complaints, because the government has establishes a few departments for inspection of complaints.
It is very important to reduce the communication gap between the doctor, and the patient. The risk of mistreatment is increased when the patient remains detached, or unconcerned. Patient possesses the right, and the responsibility to ask question about his/her treatment. The doctors should be restricted to give enough time to the patient. It is very important to have a detailed analysis of every case. Patient should feel free to express his/her past, and present problems. Make the doctors your allies. Before writing prescription, it is very important to know about the allergies and reaction the patient have had to the medicines.
In case of surgery, the doctor should carefully complete all the formalities. Doctors should clearly mention all the benefits, and risk involved in the surgery. Before making decisions, patient should check the subsidiary factors such as hygienic conditions of the hospital, equipment, and machinery. In addition, it is always preferable to take the second opinion.
Being a responsible person, patient should bring all the previous medical record. It gives better understanding of the case. Do not think that doctor knows everything. Shortly, the above-mentioned strategies of healthcare system as well as patients can banish clinical negligence forever.
