Medical Errors - Be Vigiliant About Your Care

Preventable medical errors are the #3 cause of death in the United States according to the Journal of Patient Safety.

The #1 cause of diagnosing errors is the physician’s failure to consider alternative causes for the patient’s problems according to an Internal Medicine study.

Obtaining safe healthcare should be everyone’s business.  But when preventable medical errors are the #3 cause of death in this country, not to mention the countless injuries caused by preventable medical errors, what are patients to do?  And with a medical culture of cover-up and lack of disclosure, patients and their families are often left in the dark. 

You can be vigilant about your care and point out the errors you are aware of to the physicians, nurses and healthcare providers - and also do it in writing.  Healthcare facilities have processes in place often called “peer review” which they have convinced legislatures to keep confidential by passing laws.  While this process is designed for internal discussion of medical errors and how to keep them from happening in the future, the patient and their families have no access to this information.  By writing down the error you witness, and insisting your written report be included in the medical record, you can at the very least document the error and have a record of it in case this information is needed for further proceedings with the state licensing board or future court proceedings.

Fall Maine Festivals

Fall Maine Festivals

"The Maine fall festivals are pretty standard for a smaller populated state on the ocean.  There are a few harvest festivals, a seafood festival and a regatta offer a diverse selection of choices after Oktoberfest in Maine is over. Here is the list of September and October festivals in 2015"

Boothbay Region Harbor Fest, Sept 4-13th

Boothbay Region Harbor Fest

Sep 04 thru Sep 13, 2015. 
"Annual Boothbay Harbor Fest is a 10-day community collaboration featuring a collection of unique and vibrant events that celebrate our local lifestyle and heritage."

3rd Annual Village Folk Festival

3rd Annual Village Folk Festival
Bridgton, Maine, August 21 and 22, 2015 The 3rd Annual Village Folk Festival comes to Depot Street in the heart of Downtown Bridgton, Maine from 9am to 9pm on Friday and Saturday, August 21-22, 2015. 

Justice for You and Safety for Your Community.

How do we obtain justice for you and how do we make our communities safer?  When you or a loved one has been injured or killed it will have occurred due to an individual or business violating safety rules, protocols or procedures.  To obtain justice for you, we work to identity the safety rule, protocol or procedure that was violated and we pursue your claim pointing out the safety violation.

   

There are safety rules for every kind of conduct, for example - medical care, operation of cars on the roads, dealing with businesses, landlord tenant relationships, maintenance of property to prevent injury to others, just to name a few.  These safety rules apply to the conduct of people or businesses in our community.

   

When safety rule violations result in injury or death to people in the community, from unsafe medicine or careless driving, or unsavory business practices, the community can enforce the safety rules making our communities safer for our families, friends and neighbors.  Communities can make our communities safer by enforcement of laws, passing ordinances, but most importantly, members of the community can hold violators of safety rules responsible when sitting on a jury in court.  The community jury verdict announcing a money judgment for those injured or killed due to safety violations sends a message that violators of safety in the community will be held accountable and responsible. 

Justice for you and safety for your community.

Summer in the Park: Free Concerts and Events

L.L.Bean Summer in the Park: Free Concerts and Events
 Join L.L.Bean in Freeport, Maine, for our annual summer celebration. Bring your lawn chair for FREE outdoor concerts in Discovery Park. View the lineup and see other upcoming events here.

Be Proactive About Your Healthcare

Cancer is a devastating disease.  This day and age everyone knows someone who has or had cancer.  There are many types of cancer and we cannot help but be familiar with those types of cancer that are in the news the most – breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer.

The fact is, medical professionals still believe early detection leads to a better outcome for the patient.  That means people have to bring health concerns to the attention of their physicians and the physicians have to listen, investigate, order the necessary tests and send you to the right doctors to determine if you have cancer. 

Of course many health concerns are not related to cancer.  Your physician is responsible for knowing what the red flags are and whether further testing is necessary or you should be referred to specialist.  Delays in diagnosis are preventable.

As people have recognized, today’s delivery of healthcare has changed.  Many people across the country complain their doctors do not listen, are not familiar with them or their medical history, do not give them enough time and do not order enough tests. 

Stand up for your or your loved one’s right to receive good healthcare – ask questions, get answers in easy to understand terms, request tests, and request referrals and second opinions.  Be proactive about healthcare for yourself or your loved ones.  Everyone has the right to receive good healthcare. 

If you or someone you know has experienced a delay in diagnosis of cancer or some other illness, please call the Randall Law Office for a free consultation (866) 775-0082.