Health Care and Social Law Articles

Patients assume that when their doctors prescribe medications, the physicians know all the potential side effects and are reasonably certain the drugs are safe. However, this is not always true according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine by oncologist Dr. Ethan Basch.

It is often said among hospital workers that the most likely place to pick up an illness is the very place people go when ill: the hospital. For many years, health care policy makers have conducted studies and developed protocols to decrease the number of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). A HAI, or nosocomial infection, is just that: an infection that is acquired at the hospital.

We typically spend the first thirty years of our adult lives gathering assets which we'll consume during the last thirty years of our lives.

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), a 20-year old worker has a 3 in 10 chance of becoming disabled even before reaching retirement. This is why it is important to know the programs implemented by the SSA through which you can receive disability benefits.

How a non-licensed person can work with a medical practice, including the use of an administrative/management services company.

In accordance with the paragraph 1 article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Rights Protection”, a consumer has the right to receive necessary, accessible, accurate and timely information about the products that provides him with an opportunity of conscious and competent selection of such product. The consumer shall be provided with such information prior to purchasing the product or ordering the works (services). The information about the product is not considered as advertising.

You may be the victim of medical malpractice in Illinois if you were injured because of pharmacist negligence.

Take the proper steps to avoid becoming a victim of medication errors.

According to the Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine “On Foreign Economic Activities”, a representative of the foreign subject of business activity can be considered an institution or a person representing interests of a foreign subject of business activity in Ukraine that has properly registered respective authorities.

Advertising is information about the entity or goods distributed in any form and in any manner in order to form or maintain knowledge of consumers of advertising and their interest with respect to such entity or goods[1].

In a callous political move, Governor Cuomo dealt a significant blow to the rights of brain damaged children to help offset the State’s budget shortfall.

The doubling growth defense in cancer misdiagnosis cases is frequently misplaced and flawed. What this defense consists of is the contention that cancer cells grow exponentially in a predictable and orderly fashion, i.e. in effect doubling in size over time.

The term “alarm fatigue,” which is generally attributed to the increased use of monitors, is distracting and numbing hospital personnel with deadly outcomes.

A recent bill before Oregon’s state Senate might provide non-nursing hospital personnel workplace protection when they report patient care practices, procedures, or policies that endanger patient safety.

TV commercials are the best way to promote mass-consumption products, including pharmaceutical products. The main advantage of TV commercials is their broad coverage, as television is considered to be the most widespread mass media. At the same time, TV commercials provide ample opportunities for targeting.

There are 3 things you should ask your attorney when pursuing an Illinois medical malpractice claim. For help, call a Chicago medical malpractice attorney.

Dealing with insurance companies is hardly ever a pleasant experience. This is because to them, you are just a number that represents a negative proposition on their balance sheet if you happened to submit a claim for disability benefits with them.

Podiatric malpractice claims tend to be difficult claims because the specialty underwriters that insure these losses hire experienced defense counsel who cover a broad geographic area and therefore have considerable experience.

Chronic fatigue syndrome has long been looked at askance both in the medical and legal establishment. Research now suggests medicine may be moving closer to a determination of the cause of the condition.

There are many things that social security disability claimants or beneficiaries should know about, such as how work or taxes may affect the benefits they receive or if their family is also entitled to it.

Checking out the background of a physician can make or break a medical negligence case.

All social security benefits claimants have the right to have a representative when going through the process of their application.

For most Americans, whether at retirement, during a disability, or when they have no resources, the benefits given by the Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide a safety net to meet their basic needs. But claiming these benefits under the SSA’s myriad programs isn’t as easy as filling out a form and filing an application.

Trying to land a job is hard enough. Trying to land a job when you suffer from a permanent disability is even harder.

Hospice fraud is a growing problem in South Carolina and the United States. Medicare and Medicaid fraud in the hospice setting can be the subject of False Claims Act claims by qui tam whistleblowers. The federal False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3732, authorizes false claims suits for fraud against the government, also known as qui tam or whistleblower suits, against their employers on behalf of the United States.

Moe Maraachli and Sana Nader's recent dispute with a hospital over the fate of their terminally ill child highlights a debate over end of life issues. The author reviews an Ontario case to highlight how Ontario has dealt with the tension of a patient’s right to consent to treatment and a doctor's right to advocate for what he/she feels are in the best interests of the patient.

The authors answer some of the most common questions about Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Car Accidents, Premises Liability, Dog Bites, and more.

Breast cancer lymph node removal is no longer seen as a given in light of recently reported results from a study showing the survival rate of women with T1 or T2 tumors is no better with those women who underwent lymph node removal versus those who did not.

The Health Information Technology and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) creates new and tough challenges. It mandates conversion to electronic health records (EHR), significantly increases HIPAA compliance requirements for Covered Entities, places new, strict requirements on Business Associates and their Subcontractors and provides greatly increased penalties for non-compliance. Fully compliant HIPAA policies and procedures are the essential first step in meeting the HITECH challenge.

Spina bifida corrective surgery has recently produced significant strides in terms of improving overall functionality of babies born with this condition.

If you have suspicions that you or a loved one have been a victim of Medical Malpractice, don't hesitate to seek out help and know your rights.

The Food and Drug Administration has continually reported the dangerous side effects of the prescription drug, Fosamax.

In order to meet the needs of millions of disabled Americans, there are 2 federal programs under the U.S. Social Security Administration that are designed to provide disability benefits to injured/disabled workers or individuals with little income and few resources.

There have been recent media publications in Chicagoland and other parts of Illinois claiming that, based on a recent study of medical students at Northwestern University School of Medicine, physicians are fleeing the state of Illinois. These claims simply are not supported by the evidence, or even the study itself.

Infants can suffer tremendous harm before they ever leave the delivery room. Despite medical best practices, the latest technologies and a mother's months of preparation, new parents too often find themselves wondering just what may have gone wrong in the delivery room. Seeking answers, they contemplate a life ahead with a child who may have severe physical and developmental limitations.

During labor and delivery, obstetricians, nurses and hospital staff involved in the birth are responsible for taking every reasonable step to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible. One of the ways they can do this is by properly monitoring the vital signs of mother and baby during labor and delivery and taking appropriate actions when signs of distress are present. Improper monitoring often leads to serious birth injuries.

Chess grandmaster and author Larry Evans died recently after gall bladder surgery complications. The 78-year-old chess player's career spanned decades and won him accolades from both friends and competitors.

In this Article, the author gives you a legal compliance checklist for your medical corporation.

In this Article, the author answers the question, should you incorporate your medical practice? What are the costs and benefits of forming a medical corporation?

Stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. and some deaths might have been prevented with proper diagnosis. Failure to diagnose a stroke may result in a Florida medical malpractice claim.

As common as a heart attack is in emergency rooms, many times a doctor’s failure to diagnose an attack still happens. This negligence may result in filing a Florida medical malpractice claim.

Since 01.09.2009 Russia introduced new rules which will affect almost all companies operating in the national pharmaceutical market, such as: domestic producers of medicines, foreign producers importing medicines into Russia, drugstores, clinical trial centers, state authorities supervising pharmaceutical industry and some others.

Surgical errors occur in many forms, such as operating on the wrong body part, puncturing healthy organs or failing to properly monitor the patient. Such errors could lead to additional medical treatment or surgery, time off from work and pain and suffering.

The improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction during birth can cause serious injury to child and mother.

The complications and conditions associated with high risk pregnancies should be properly identified and treated to avoid serious injury.

The antidepressant drug Prozac has been linked to heart defects in babies born to mothers who took the medication while pregnant.

Whether it’s your first time to file a social security disability application or appeal the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s adverse decision on your claim, acquiring the services of a social security disability attorney can help your endeavors succeed.

Reform of the medical malpractice laws has been a subject of national debate for many years.

Texas Department of Insurance has banned Discretionary Clauses in Life, Disability, Health, and other policies. Following a National trend, the TDI found that these clauses are unfair and deceptive. The ban goes into effect on policies delivered after February 1, 2011 for Disability policies, and June 1, 2011 for all other policies.

Everyone relies on a doctor to heal them or make them better if they get sick or injured. But what happens when your physician is unreliable – to the extent that your condition only becomes worse? Simple, through a medical malpractice lawyer in California, you can file a malpractice claim based on personal injury or even wrongful death.

Hippocrates insisted that "The physician must...have two special objects in view with regard to disease, namely, to do good or to do no harm." It is with the faith that their physicians will "do good" or at least "do no harm" that patients seek out medical care.

When medical negligence leads to the death of a loved one, it can be a shocking event.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 125,000 people in the U.S. have been potentially exposed to HIV and different forms of hepatitis since 1999 due to lapses in infection control practices. Additionally, a 2009 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine noted 33 different outbreaks of viral hepatitis in nonhospital settings over the last decade.

On 23 August 2010, the Minister of Health has issued the Decree Number 1195/MENKES/SK/VIII/2010 of 2010 on the Accreditation Agency for the Hospital with International Quality Standards.

Gall bladder surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in hospitals, but is not without its risks.

Other than the death of a child, few events in life can be as devastating as discovering that your newborn baby has a debilitating and permanent brain injury from birth. Because medical liability cases have short time limits, immediately contacting an attorney who is experienced and skilled in dealing with traumatic birth-related brain injuries is essential.

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) reports that low APGAR scores may be an indicator of cerebral palsy birth injury.

The hospital experience is being transformed into one that takes into account an individual's cultural needs, including ethnicity, race and even religion.

Bringing a baby into the world is an amazing and life changing experience. This experience is something that will never be forgotten, and we all want it to be memories of love and happiness. Sadly though this is not always the case, sometimes families have to face the dreaded reality that the baby has birth defects, and in the worse cases, the baby does not live.

From banking and managing finances to shopping and ordering pizza, almost everything these days is done electronically. Not every sector of society has been quick to embrace the electronic age, however. The medical community has remained behind the digital curve.

Becoming ill may be a bad dream in-and-of itself, but being misdiagnosed, only to have the illness exacerbate tenfold before an accurate diagnosis can be rendered, is a nightmare. We put our trust in doctors and hospitals, assuming that they will take all precautions necessary to ensure a proper diagnosis. When those precautions are not taken, though, results can mean a lifetime of pain or suffering for the victim.

DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of the well-known Johnson & Johnson Company, has issued a recall of its ASR hip replacement and implant systems. The ASR Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular Hip System are both part of this hip replacement recall.

On August 24,2010 a volunteer hip replacement recall was issued by Depuy Orthopedics, a division of Johnson and Johnson. The ASR XL Acetabular metal-on-metal hip replacement system has shown to have a 13% failure rate within the first 5 years.

An analysis and report of the findings of retrospective academic studies of medical malpractice claims in urology with a focus on the implications for their cause and frequency.

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that 90,000 people lose their lives each year due to medical errors. What if your child was one of them?

This article discusses how a healthcare provider should be paid for treating a patient who is covered by a health plan that doesn't have a contract with the provider in the context of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the health care reform legislation signed by President Obama in March 2010.

In this case report we examine the effect of actual knowledge of a claim, the existence of a medical expert opinion report and the exercise of due diligence on the limitation period defense in a medical malpractice action in an Ontario case.

This article examines one of the Medicaid myths regarding eligibility for nursing home payment in Rhode Island.

Medical practices are routinely victimized by silent PPOs, but there are strategies available to guard against these predators.

Find out if your business is eligible for the new small business health care tax credit. Use our "Fast Facts" and links to guidance from the Internal Revenue Service to find out! A tax credit his available to small employers that pay at least half the cost of healthcare single coverage for their employees. Read more to find out about the eligibility requirements.

The author discusses the effect alcohol or drug use can have a claim.

Looking good is often associated with looking young. As such, many people fear growing old because it will make them look ‘uglier’ and not as eye-catching. Now, if you are used to having people admire your looks, than having this kind of attention decrease can be hard to adjust to.

The Texas Board of Nursing is one of the most active licensing boards in the state, disciplining hundreds of nurses each year which includes substantial numbers of license revocations.

Although the FCA was first enacted with dishonest defense contractors in mind, the FCA has become an effective weapon to fight healthcare fraud. Categories of facility healthcare fraud often involve allegations of total neglect or no services, worthless services, inadequate and inferior services and products, and aggressive patient treatment. [1]

Background There are several types of Capital Medical Equipment (“CME”) that are routinely sold to hospitals and healthcare organizations, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanners (“MRI”), Computed Tomography Scanners (“CT Scanners”), and ultrasound equipment. These products represent a major portion of CME purchases that hospitals and healthcare organization make each year.

Federal law proscribes that drug manufacturers pay rebates to the states to insure that the Medicaid program is receiving the best price on covered drugs. When manufacturers determine the best price, they must include cash discounts, free goods, volume discounts, and rebates given on the covered drug. [1]

Federal and state laws require medical devices shipped and sold in the United States to be safe, effective, and reliable, and to perform as represented and to specifications. Medical device manufacturers are subject to mandatory and stringent controls over product design, manufacture, process changes, rework, specifications, specifications changes, and quality control. [1]

The author discusses filing a social security disability claim.

For many Americans who have retired, lost a loved one, gotten sick or disabled, or who are living a life of extreme poverty, relief may be attained in the form of social security benefits. Thus, for millions of people in the US, social security claims are a lifeline to a better life.

There are two bills before the Tennessee legislature this term that could impose unfair limits on the rights of injured patients to bring medical malpractice claims against those responsible for harming them.

One of the many headaches associated with Medicare may soon be coming to an end. This past March, a bill was proposed in the House of Representatives that would make the process of reimbursing Medicare for health care expenses paid by a secondary source more efficient.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, overdose deaths from painkillers are rivaling the No. 1 killer, traffic accidents.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists has issued new guidelines declaring attempted vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) to be a safe choice for most women who have had a prior cesarean delivery, and even for some women who have had two previous cesareans.

According to the Wall Street Journal, $1.4 billion is spent annually in the state of New York on medical malpractice insurance premiums alone. Five New York City hospitals have agreed to a pilot program aimed at cutting medical malpractice costs.

The Texas Medical Association (TMA) has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners (TBCE) seeking a court order to prevent chiropractors from performing certain medical acts.

This past January, the Connecticut State Board of Health and Board of Chiropractic Examiners held a series of public hearings on whether there is a need to mandate that chiropractors warn their patients of the risk of stroke prior to performing certain spinal manipulations.

Medical malpractice is one of the branches of personal injury law. Therefore, patients or family members of people who became victims of this unprofessional conduct may file a lawsuit against the doctor, physician, dentist, pediatricians, nurses, surgeons, therapists or any other medical practitioners who were negligent.

The Medicare program has announced its 2010 premium and coinsurance rates. Due to an anticipated increase in medical costs, there will be an increase in Medicare-related premiums, although not all recipients will have to pay the new rates.

The notes a doctor takes during a visit with a patient can be crucial to that person's care and overall level of treatment. These notes can help a doctor review a patient's medical condition, form a diagnosis and share information with others who may participate in that person's care. For some time, the question has been whether patients should, or would even want to, review what their physicians write in those notes.

In April 2010, board members for St. Vincent's Manhattan Hospital voted to shut the facility down, leaving many residents on the Lower West Side without a local emergency room. For those with indelible memories of September 11 th, St. Vincent's absence is a scary proposition.

A renowned New York medical institution, the 160-year-old St. Vincent's Medical Center, treated its final patient in April of this year.

VBAC means Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. It is usually safe, but there is one key question every family must ask before agreeing to try VBAC at a particular hospital. If you don't know the answer to this question, and the uterus ruptures, your child can suffer a terrible injury.

What injuries are related to negligence by a doctor or other health care provider during the birthing and newborn time? Here is a quick overview.

For many years, hospitals have had a reputation for hiding mistakes. Recently, a few hospitals have started to admit to mistakes, apologizing and attempting to fix what went wrong.

Loss of chance damages resulting from delayed diagnosis of cancer. A physician who delays diagnosing cancer can dramatically reduce a patient’s chance of recovery and survival. A doctor commits malpractice if his delay diminishes a patient’s chance of survival, even if the patient’s prospect for recovery is less than 50 percent.

Common Medical Malpractice Delayed Diagnosis Cases: Melanoma

Common Medical Malpractice issues: Delayed Cancer Diagnosis Cases: Cervical Cancer

Social Security Retirement Age and Disability Claims are under different programs implemented by the Social Security Administration.

Riding the Wavefront—An Update on Refractive Surgery Litigation©

An employee can’t stay in tiptop shape all the time, sometimes he may get sick or even get involved in an accident that could force him to take time away from work in order to recuperate.