Posted on August 18, 2015 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

It was recently discovered that duodenoscope may cause disease and infections that can prove fatal. The device is used during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ECRP) procedures. It was reported that two patients died because of infections supposedly caused by contaminated duodenoscopes. As such, manufacturers needed to update processing procedures for the device. During facilities searches in… read more

Posted on October 19, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

So that compounding pharmacy that has been linked to the tainted steroids that have sickened more than 250 people and killed some 20 with fungal meningitis? It seems they have a license to do business here in Oregon, but they have been under investigation by the Oregon Board of Pharmacy before the steroid issue even… read more

Posted on October 8, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

When you get prescription medication, whether it is from your pharmacy or administered by your doctor, you trust that it is safe and will cure or help whatever ails you. Well, perhaps thousands of people are probably pretty bummed out right now if they got steroid injections for back pain this year between July and… read more

Posted on August 15, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

The Oregon Patient Safety Commission announced that reported hospital errors, also known as adverse events or never events, rose slightly in 2011 to 142 events. While this is somewhat of a disappointment, the commission is looking on the bright side, as the reporting of these errors by hospitals is voluntary, and the commission has been… read more

Posted on July 6, 2011 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

The “July effect” is not sunburn or dehydration but instead refers to the increase in fatalities and medical mishaps at teaching hospitals.Why? Well, a batch of new and inexperienced residents hits teaching hospitals every July. According to a study by the Journal of General Internal Medicine, teaching hospitals can see a 10 percent increase in… read more

Posted on April 26, 2011 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

There’s a new measurement tool in town for assessing hospital errors and safety, and it’s finding that there are more errors than we originally thought. In fact, according to this tool, a third of patients in the U.S. will be victims of a medical error during hospital stays. The new tool was developed at the… read more

Posted on April 7, 2011 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

Legacy Health of Portland implemented a new initiative two years ago with the aim of lowering infection rates and patient deaths, and it looks like they have succeeded. According to an article in the Oregonian, infection rates have dropped by about 45 percent, and patient deaths declined about 14 percent over the past two years…. read more

Posted on November 19, 2010 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

We’ve blogged before about cases of neglect and worse in nursing homes across the country. Recently a Kentucky family won $42.75 million in a lawsuit against a nursing home. The lawsuit argued that severe neglect by the nursing home caused the death of the family’s 92-year-old father. The patient stayed at the nursing home for… read more

Posted on September 7, 2010 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

My husband had surgery recently, and we were really impressed with the entire hospital staff. Everyone was really helpful, friendly, and efficient. Each person who saw my husband checked his identification wrist band, and everything seemed well organized. Though we had a good experience, I couldn’t help but think about how many individual people were… read more

Posted on November 19, 2009 in Medical Malpractice,Nursing Homes,Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

Sorry, but here’s another nightmare story about an elderly patient who suffered extreme neglect at the nursing home paid to care for her. Alice Train suffered from dementia and diabetes but was otherwise mobile when she entered the Evergreen Milton-Freewater Health and Rehabilitation Center. Her condition dangerously deteriorated in less than two months and, according… read more