Posted on January 8, 2019 by Peter George
As an expert witness referral service, we provide experts in all fields of specialization for all types of litigation. One of the core areas of litigation that we are involved with is medical malpractice. Johns Hopkins released a study in 2016 showing that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease and cancer. This fact has not been previously recognized because the methodology that the Centers for Disease Control uses to collect national health statistics doesn’t require medical errors to be separately classified on death certificates. The study provides important insight into the relationship between our current healthcare delivery system and medical malpractice. According to the researchers, “most errors represent systemic problems, including poorly coordinated care, fragmented insurance networks, the absence or underuse of safety nets and other protocols, in addition to unwarranted variation in physician practice patterns that lack accountability.” https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/study_suggests_medical_errors_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us. This is a matter of interest and concern to all attorneys, plaintiff and defense, who practice in this field.
