Medical errors not only cause injury and wrongful death, but they also lead to increased costs of healthcare for all Americans. A recent study shows that U.S. healthcare is not only the worst when compared with other leading industrialized countries, but it is also the most expensive by far. Why is this acceptable?
Americans are proud of our standing as World leaders in many categories. Shouts of “USA! USA!” seem to be still echoing after the recent Olympics. But one area where American superiority has faltered is in the field of healthcare. Based on data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. is dead last among other leading industrialized nations in healthcare rankings. This means that we have more medical errors, lower life expectancy, higher rates of certain diseases, and more expensive healthcare than other countries. You can read more here: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/were-last-again-u-s-health-care-ranks-poorly-n132081.
As an Ohio medical malpractice attorney, I have seen the harm caused by poor medical care in many cases including delayed diagnosis of cancer, failure to treat infection, and misdiagnosis, among many, many other examples. It is no wonder that medical negligence rates remain high when the medical industry continues to use its power to fight legitimate lawsuits with unneeded tort reform legislation, apology statutes and peer review legislation that allows them to literally bury their mistakes. Medical errors are a very real problem in Ohio … a problem that is not being addressed. As long as the Ohio Legislature continues with its “pay to play” style of governance, Ohio patients remain at dire risk of becoming victims of healthcare negligence.