Posts Tagged ‘hospitals’

Clearly, no value can be put on a human life. When a family member or friend has died in a tragic accident, a lawsuit settlement or jury victory will not bring them back or restore their future. That said, monetary settlements are the way our court system deals with such deaths, and when the victim is responsible for supporting a family, financial rewards are completely justified. So it’s always a difficult undertaking when government agencies attempt to put a specific value on a human life. But if you look closely, California courts are particularly guilty of undervaluing lives lost in medical accidents.

Read Full Article »

That old Operation game has come to life, to the detriment of an abnormally high number of patients at California hospitals. In the past two years, doctors have left surgical instruments inside patients after their operation 350 times. Such faux pas are called “never events” becuase they are never supposed to happen. But in reality, “retained foreign objects” incidents account for 14 percent of all preventable hospital errors and are running up the bill on penalties and legal fines statewide.

Read Full Article »

On Thursday, California health officials cited a set of California hospitals for failing to adhere to safety standards. Two Bay Area establishments, Marin General Hospital and Alameda County Medical Center, were among those that received a slap on the wrist.

Read Full Article »