Personal Injury Law

Common Hospital Methods Fail to Prevent Surgical Infections

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

A new study reported in The Wall Street Journal recently found that common measures used by hospitals to prevent post-surgical infection may not be as effective as often thought. Most hospitals currently use a checklist approach to ensure patient safety during surgery. The World Health Organization developed a list of various procedures to be followed before, during, and after all procedures. Medical professionals typically ensure that each of those items is completed in every operation.

In particular, six of those measures are aimed at preventing infections following surgery. They include, for example, administering the proper antibiotic within an hour following the operation and appropriately completing the hair removal process after finishing the procedure.

However, the study found that there was no correlation between the six checklist items and lowered infection rates. In other words, the study puts into question the effectiveness of those measures.

Surgery always contains some risk. But as this research indicates, the common checklist procedures medical professionals use to prevent complications are often ineffective. All patients deserve medical care that best protects them from further harm following surgery. Doctors who fail to take all appropriate steps to limit those complications may be guilty of medical malpractice.

Our Illinois medical malpractice lawyers at Levin & Perconti have extensive experience representing patients harmed by medical errors, like preventative infections following surgery. If you or someone you know has suffered a similar surgical complication that may have been caused by surgical error be sure to consult a medical malpractice lawyer to help fight for your rights.

Click Here to read more about the study.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on June 23, 2010 (boomark / email).