Hospitals Can Make You Sick

November 9, 2015 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Hospitals Can Make You Sick Many people would think that going to a hospital would be the most sterile place for anything concerning public health matters. However, our centers for healing have become procreation grounds for dangerous and even deadly infections. An estimated 648,000 people in the United States develop infections during a hospital stay, and about 75,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC. To put the number in perspective, that is twice the number of people who are involved in car crashes. Infections such as MRSA and C. diff travel inside of these hospitals at alarming rates because hospitals may not be following the best practices in preventing infection and prescribing antibiotics. MRSA & C. Diff Four out of 10 hospitals in a study performed by the writers at Consumer Reports got low scores for keeping clostridium difficile (C. diff) in check. C. diff is a bigger problem than MRSA because it affects 290,000 Americans due to a hospital stay or health care facility each year. Furthermore, about 27,000 people die every year because of the infection. C. diff is an infection that upsets the balance of microorganisms in your stomach, making the otherwise harmless bacteria grow out of control and make you sick. As the bacteria overgrow, they release toxins that attack the lining of the intestines. Three out of 10 hospitals in the same study got low scored for avoiding MRSA. More than 8,000 patients each year are killed by MRSA and almost 60,000 are sickened by the infection. This form of bacteria can often find their way through the lines and tubes that doctors use to deliver medication and nutrition to patients or by surgical incisions. This is bacteria that is responsible for many hard-to-treat infections. The bacterium is often referred to as a “super bug,” because it cannot be killed with certain antibiotics, including common ones like penicillin and amoxicillin. MRSA most often causes painful skin infections, but it can also lead to infections of the urinary tract, blood and lungs. People who are in the hospital are more likely to get severe MRSA infections. As dangerous as MRSA is, it can be treated promptly with vancomycin. However, due to the fact that the drug is often used in hospitals, another resistant strain of bacteria called VRSA or vancomycin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is emerging which can be more difficult to treat then its predecessor. Only 6% of hospitals actually scored well at preventing both infections. Patients with serious infection are near sick and vulnerable patients while all being cared for by the same health care workers sometimes using the same equipment makes the spread of these diseases possible. What makes it more dangerous is the widespread, inappropriate use of the antibiotics that's common in hospitals, which encourage the growth of “super bugs” such as MRSA or VRSA, that are immune to the drugs or kills patients. The CDC made a comment on the whole epidemic by stating that we have reached the point where patients are dying from infections in hospitals that we have no vaccinations to treat. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA Individuals who have been injured by the negligence of a medical professional are often entitled to significant financial compensation. In many cases, the complications associated with medical malpractice can be extremely serious, so it essential that victims ensure that their legal rights are protected by retaining an attorney who has a track record of success litigating medical malpractice claims. The lawyers of the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA are skilled Clearwater medical malpractice attorneys who understand how to get our clients the compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation with our lawyers, call our office today at (727) 451-6900. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA 800 North Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33765 727-451-6900

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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