Practice Areas
Blog 
Birth Injury
- FL Wrongful Birth Medical Malpractice Case Yields $4.5 Award; Repercussions in New York?
- Most OB-GYN Guidelines are Based on Opinion and Weak Information!
- Smoking and Birth Defects Are Now Definitively Linked! Click Here To Find Out More!
- Kingston medical malpractice lawyer exposes the flawed logic of Governor Cuomo's neurologically impaired infant's fund
- Open Letter to Governor Cuomo about your Budget
Delay in Cancer Diagnosis
- New study reveals that cigarettes are the smoking gun behind more than half of bladder cancer cases in the United States
- Does cancer screening save lives? The new government study answers your question.
- New option to reduce risk of breast cancer
- Does screening for ovarian cancer cause more harm than good in Kingston, New York?
- Should cancer victims be eligible for 9/11 money?
Nursing Home Negligence
- Nursing Home Resident Dies Because Staff Not Trained in Heimlich! Jury Awards $2.35 Million
- NY Nursing Homes Rank Among the Worst for Support and Family Caregivers!
- Are You More Likely To Develop Bed Sores Because Of The Color Of Your Skin? Click Here To Find Out!
- New Study reveals Antipsychotic Drugs Hazardous to the Elderly in Nursing Homes
- Times Union Publishes Moving Letter From Local Nursing Home Resident
Undiagnosed Infections
General
- Hospital Staff Fails to Diagnose Patient with Deep Vein Thrombosis; Patient Dies!
- Study Finds Top Cause of Hospital Infection Outbreaks; the Norovirus!
- Stenting Follow-up; Mortality, Stents, and Physicians--a Correlation?
- Stent or Surgery? What Should A Patient Elect to Open a Clogged Neck Artery?!
- New York Jury Awards $3 million in Newborn Cerebral Palsy Case
News
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Posted on 10/5/2010
Library
Birth Injury
- Birth injury is preventable in most cases in Kingston, New York
- Learn what you can expect in each stage of your labor and delivery in Kingston, New York
- Spotting signs of fetal distress can be crucial to the prevention of birth injuries in Kingston, New York
- Find out why you may not want to induce your labor in Kingston, New York
- Learn the warning signs of a placenta abruption and be prepared for his potentially fatal complication in Kingston, New York
Delay in Cancer Diagnosis
- The single most important question to ask your doctor when you are diagnosed with cancer in Kingston, New York
- Are some cancers better left undiscovered? Get the answer in Kingston, New York.
- Does cancer run in your family? Genetic testing will tell you your odds of getting cancer in Kingston, New York
- The Worst Possible Thing You Can Do
- How you can prevent skin cancer before it becomes deadly in Kingston, New York
Nursing Home Negligence
- Pressure sores occur far more often in African-Americans than any other racial or ethnic group in nursing homes in Kingston, New York
- Top 3 steps you can take to avoid pressure sores in a nursing home or hospital in Kingston, New York
- Beware of the dangers of bed rails in your Kingston, New York nursing home
- What you can do to prevent your loved one from having an unintended weight loss in a nursing home
- What you need to know today to protect the rights of your family member in a nursing home in Kingston, New York
Newsletters
General
- Discover how you can get the special services for your disabled child in an Individualized Education Plan in Kingston, New York
- Discover how you can get top-notch health insurance for your family for less than $200 a month in Kingston, New York
- The Top Reason why a Supplemental Needs Trust may be right for your personal injury settlement in Kingston, New York.
- Discover the two biggest drawbacks of a supplemental needs trust for injury victims in Kingston, New York.
- The #1 thing you can do to avoid legal malpractice (for lawyers) in Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York medical malpractice lawyer reveals how the truth about medical errors is hidden by the American Hospital Association
In 1999, the Institute of Medicine reported that 98,000 people are killed by preventable medical errors in American hospitals every year. That scary number did not include persons severely disabled by medical errors or those injured or killed by preventable medical mistakes outside of a hospital, i.e., physician's office. The top recommendation by the authors of this report was to implement procedures for the mandatory reporting of medical errors by physicians and hospitals. This never happened.
Now, 11 years later, a new report by the Department of Health and Human Services estimates medical errors contribute to the deaths of an estimated 180,000 patients every year. This new report has findings that are virtually identical to those contained in the shocking report of the Institute of Medicine in 1999 and the recommendations of the authors of both studies are the same: INSTITUTE MANDATORY REPORTING OF MEDICAL ERRORS!
Disclosure of medical errors will help medical consumers select physicians and hospitals based upon knowledge of their prior mistakes. As reported in an editorial of the USA Today, "It's a problem crying out for a fix" and disclosure of medical mistakes is the number one step that can be taken to remedy this problem.
When the American Hospital Association's President was asked to comment about the disclosure of medical errors, the response was that "there is no magic solution to this challenge. If there were practices that would avoid every bad outcome, hospitals and clinicians would adopt them." He's right in one respect, there is no magic potion to fix the US's mess with poor medical care. However, mandatory reporting of medical errors is a step that is long overdue and still resisted by physicians and medical societies.
The President of the American Hospital Association claims that "hospitals willingly report performance data on key measures that demonstrate how care provided is affecting patient outcomes." Even better, the President states that such disclosure of medical mistakes by hospitals "also report adverse events to patient safety organizations, where they are analyzed by safety experts so everyone can learn from what occurred at a single hospital." Sounds good, but it's total crap!
What "patient safety organizations" is the President of the American Hospital Associations referring to? Where do hospitals report performance data to demonstrate how patient care is being provided? There are no specifics provided by the President of the American Hospital Association. The generalizations are not, unfortunately, substantiated by any shred of evidence and in fact, the President's claims are bogus.
Hospitals and physicians continue to cover up medical mistakes just as they have always been doing. Medical consumers are forced to make decisions about hospitals and physicians based on their gut feelings without any actual knowledge of the medical mistakes in the background of their medical provider.
Let's give an example of the coverup: the National Practitioner's Data Bank was created in 1986 by the federal government as a databank for the reporting of payments by physicians in medical malpractice lawsuits and claims. For those physicians who do not report malpractice settlements to the National Practitioners Data Bank, there have been no consequences. Even worse, consumers have no access to the National Practitioners Data Bank. You might be treated by a physician who has made ten malpractice payments in the last five years, but unfortunately, you have no way of finding out because the National Practitioners Data Bank is not accessible to you.
The sad fact is that the continued obstruction by physicians and hospitals to mandatory reporting of medical mistakes has resulted in death and injury for patients and a heavy dose of medical malpractice lawsuits against negligent physicians. Perhaps physicians like the status quo, but you shouldn't. Consumers are as poorly informed about medical mistakes as they were in 1999, when 98,000 deaths were first reported by the Institute of Medicine.
General
Hospital Staff Fails to Diagnose Patient with Deep Vein Thrombosis; Patient Dies!
A patient has classic symptoms of deep vein thrombosis but doctors miss diagnosis it at the hospital and in a general practitioner's office; days later he dies!Study Finds Top Cause of Hospital Infection Outbreaks; the Norovirus!
I always find very interesting studies regarding hospital infections and outbreaks, and what is actually causing them.Stenting Follow-up; Mortality, Stents, and Physicians--a Correlation?
A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association found shocking and significant data relating to the mortality rate of a neck stenting procedure.Stent or Surgery? What Should A Patient Elect to Open a Clogged Neck Artery?!
A recent study out of Baltimore, MD has answered the dangerous question surrounding clogged neck arteries and the appropriate treatment.New York Jury Awards $3 million in Newborn Cerebral Palsy Case
A jury awarded $3 million to an 18 year old patient who suffered at the hands of a negligent OB/GYN staff during birth which resulted in cerebral palsy.Albany Medical Center Implants First Patient With Long-Term Heart Pump in Capital Region
Now I am discussing a regional breakthrough right here at Albany Medical Center.Going to Surgery Soon? Study Says Eat Protein-free!
An interesting new study published in the medical journal Science and Translational Medicine made a SURPRISING finding.Cosmetic Surgeon Sued; Not Your Average Case! But it Exposed Important Lessons!
This case helps answer a few questions and answers some of the blog viewer's questions--take a look!Medicine the Amazing: Turkish Doctors Perform Two Miraculous Procedures in One Day
This weekend, Turkish doctors performed some truly incredible procedures all in the same day in the same hospital!Study Finds Common Factors of Good Primary Care; Kingston, New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer Discusses
An interesting study was just released this week from the University of California, Davis finding several key factors of high-quality primary care.Hospital Staff Fails to Diagnosis Patient with Perforated Bowel; Patient Dies Before Staff Realizes What’s Happening!
A patient went into a hospital for a UTI, but died in the hospital from a separate condition. A condition that the staff should have realized!Hospital Billing Horrors; Patient Mistakenly Receives $44 Million Overcharge!
One hospital patient who was treated for pneumonia got the shock of a lifetime. When he opened his bill, it was $44 million!Doctors Cheating on Board Exams—Why It Matters to YOU!
Candidates studying for the board certification for radiology have been using "recall banks" to memorize the questions and answers on past tests--cheating!Study Finds a Third of Medical Costs Can Be Attributed to Defensive Medicine! But is this a Bad Thing? Kingston, Medical Malpractice Lawyer Doesn’t Think So!
A study found that about 1/3 of healthcare funds expended were for unnecessary tests, treatments, and examinations done by physicians to prevent lawsuits.Why the Courts Don’t Allow A Party to Convert Non-Party Physician Witnesses into Experts
I came across a very interesting article form the state bar association regarding non-party witnesses being used inappropriately as expert witnesses!Doctor Didn’t Have Privileges in Hospital but Performed Surgery Anyway; Resulted in Medical Malpractice!
EVERY time you are having a procedure done by a physician at a hospital, check with the hospital to ensure the doctor is allowed to perform that procedure!Survey Finds 1 in 10 Smokers Hide That Fact From a Doctor; But What Does That Actually Mean?
A new survey found that one in ten smokers do not tell their doctors that they are smokers. So what exactly does this say about patient-doctor communication?Believe it or Not—Busier Hospitals Are Better for Children Who Need Heart Surgery!
A new study finds that the busier the hospital, the better treatment a pediatric heart patient will receive!Lawsuit vs Pharmacy; Elderly Patient Given Wrong Medication and Doesn’t Realize Until Refill!
Patient files lawsuit against pharmacist who dispensed the wrong medication to her! She suffered horrible repercussions from that mistake!Doctor Sued Over Botched Hernia Operation; Patient Dies!
Patient who underwent hernia operation died months later after a very large and agonizing infection because of a surgeon's malpractice.Kingston, New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer Points to Interesting Case Showing Interplay of Many Different Areas of Law
A recent case has been settled in New Jersey regarding nurses having religious objections to performing abortions at their hospital.Over Treatment of Patients; Are Doctors Afraid of Lawyers?
A study found that fourth-two percent of U.S. doctors surveyed believe that their patients are getting too much medical care.Hospital Readmissions: Study Finds Most Often it is a Heart Attack Patient
People who have heart attacks in the United States are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days than people in 16 other countries.Patient Injured by Man Posing As Doctor!! Always Check Your Doctor’s Credentials!
A man impersonating a doctor performed multiple surgeries on two victims; find out how to protect yourself from these shams!Proposed New York Bill Would Require RNs to Earn Bachelor’s Degrees; Kingston, Medmal Lawyer Reacts
Proposed initiative “BSN in 10” will require registered nurses to earn a bachelor’s degree within ten years to keep working in New York.
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John H. Fisher
303 Clinton Avenue
Kingston, New York 12402-3058
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John H. Fisher
303 Clinton Avenue
Kingston, New York 12402-3058
Phone: 518.265.9131
Toll Free: 866.889.6882
Video Library
Birth Injury:
General:
- Personal Injury Attorney In New York Is Motivated By The Difference His Case Results Make In Peoples Lives
- How To Know Which Law Firm Is Right For You According To Medical Malpractice Attorney In New York
- Knowing You Are The Victim Of Medical Malpractice Can Be Tricky According To New York Attorney
FAQ
Birth Injury
- What is cerebral palsy and can it be prevented?
- Why should the placenta be inspected by a pathologist after a traumatic birth?
- Is Kernicterus preventable?
Delay in Cancer Diagnosis
If you have a high PSA blood level (4 or higher), what are the best tests to determine if you have prostate cancer in Kingston, New York?
- Why it is crucial for men to know their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score in Kingston, New York?
- When is prostate cancer is curable in Kingston, New York?
Nursing Home Negligence
- What is the difference between a Stage 1 pressure sore and a Stage 4 pressure sore?
- What data is available to you in your search for the best nursing home for your family member?
- Who do you turn to for answers at a nursing home?
Hiring the Right Lawyer
- What if my lawyer won't return my phone calls?
- What if my lawyer asks me to pay the case expenses right before trial?
- Can I see my file?
For Attorneys
- How do defense lawyers spot a liar in malpractice lawsuits?
- What is the "white trash" defense and how you need to do to beat it.
- May a reciprocal referral arrangement be exclusive?