There is no doubt that there are hidden costs of healthcare. We don’t mean the premiums or seeking care outside of your network, or even Emergency Room bills. It may sound cynical, but most people are fully cognizant of the shortfalls in their coverage, and expect to receive “surprise” bills associated with their care. For [...]
According to a recently published analysis, approximately 25% of hospitals fall short of the Leapfrog Group’s standards when it comes to addressing and responding to patient harm events, often referred to as never events. The report revealed that 74.5% of 2,000+ hospitals that provided feedback on the 2018 Hospital Survey issued by Leapfrog adhered to [...]
Historically, modern medical research has focused on the health of men, based on statute and tradition. Only in the past 2 to 3 decades, have restrictions that prohibited many women from participating in clinical trials been lifted, allowing researchers to thoroughly and scientifically consider how the health outcomes of women differ from men’s. Due to [...]
When you visit or are admitted to a hospital as a patient, you are entering the confines of a complex health care system in which many communicable diseases and opportunities to acquire those diseases are present. The term used for this occurrence is Hospital Acquired Infection. Of particular concern today are certain strains of bacteria [...]
It is no secret that the hospitals in D.C. need some work. According to Hospital Safety Grade, an initiative launched by the nonprofit Leapfrog Group, out of the six hospitals located in Washington, D.C. proper, half have earned a “D” rating. The hospitals were evaluated in the following categories: Infections Problems with surgery Practice to [...]
A court in the country of Amsterdam has issued a ruling that directs Google to remove a list of unofficially “blacklisted” doctors from a discussion group online. The case is noted as the first involving the legal concept of “right to be forgotten” that pertains to the alleged medical negligence of a doctor. The judgment [...]
Thousands of women give birth every day in the United States, including here in the Washington, D.C. area. Labor and delivery is a common and safe experience for mothers and babies, but occasionally there are complications. If a baby is deprived of oxygen during the labor and delivery process, the child can suffer severe birth [...]
Every day, babies all over this country are delivered via C-section, and they are happy, healthy and safe. The procedure isn’t easy on the mother – it is major surgery, after all – but most C-sections go off without a hitch. That does not mean, however, that there are no risks to the procedure. A [...]
A bowel perforation, or a nicked bowel, occurs when a hole is made in the bowel or anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, which allows the contents of the bowel to flow into the abdominal cavity. The GI tract is a continuous tube that begins at the mouth, goes down your throat, through the stomach, small [...]
Genetic testing is one of the miracles of modern medicine, but it can also become somewhat of a double-edged sword. That is because the technology is so new and evolving every day. A genetic test can tell you if you are at risk for certain diseases, reveal the disease that is causing your symptoms, and [...]
