Virginia Injury Law Blog

A recent research study reveals that hospital deaths are significantly higher when the patient is admitted on the weekend rather than during the week. The study cites lower staffing levels and less experienced hospital staff working weekends as possible explanations for the higher mortality rate.

This same study also concluded that being discharged from the hospital on a Friday has increased risks of death or readmission within thirty days. Early discharge may occur on a Friday in the rush to get patients out of the hospital and therefore, inadequate discharge instructions are given or the increased likelihood of discharging a patient before they are medically stable to go home occurs.

The lesson to be learned here is that one should try to avoid admission to a hospital over the weekend (which, of course, is sometimes unavoidable) or being discharged before the weekend. If you or your family member is discharged on a Friday, be sure to confirm with the physician your understanding of all discharge instructions, including all reasons that you would need to return to the hospital.

At Pierce & Thornton, we have handled numerous medical negligence cases involving a physician’s or hospital’s decision to discharge someone from the hospital before they were medically stable. If you have any questions about this type of case, please call one of our experienced medical negligence attorneys.

One of the nation’s largest health insurers was accused of overcharging millions of Americans for healthcare. The company, UnitedHealth Group, has agreed to pay a $50 million settlement after investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s office. The investigation arose after hundreds of patients complained to the state about medical care and procedures that were not being reimbursed as “usual, customary or reasonable” charges by UnitedHealth Group. UnitedHealth Group justified its withholding of coverage on the grounds that an “independent” company, Ingenix, had reviewed the care and treatment and deemed it outside the coverage. The investigation revealed that Ingenix is owned by UnitedHealth Group and therefore, questions were raised about the independence of its review process. Many of the patient are contemplating bringing a class action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group.

Pierce & Thornton encourages you to review your health insurance company’s policies so that you are aware of covered and non-covered medical expenses.

The danger of children being trapped by defective drain suction remains a problem for about 80% of the nation’s public pools. In 2007, Congress passed legislation requiring safe drain compliance within one year. The National Swimming Pool Foundation reports that approximately 240,000 pools across the nation will fail to comply with the new federal standard before the deadline. This issue, despite litigation against product manufacturers and the enactment of federal legislation, remains a significant risk for our children.

Call Pierce & Thornton if you or a loved one has been affected by this issue.

Early detection of colon cancer by colonoscopy may be more challenging than prior studies have shown. A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine concludes that nearly 30 to 40 percent of colorectal cancers may not be detected by a colonoscopy. This is a prevention rate far less than that reported historically by doctors. The study further concluded that nearly all cancers on the right side of the colon and about one-third of cancers in the left side of the colon are not visible from the study. The study includes data from colonoscopies performed by internists as well as gastroenterologists, which may have some bearing on the outcome. Despite these new findings, researchers still strongly recommend that patients continue to have the test as a preventative measure.

If you or a loved one has concerns that their colon cancer was not timely diagnosed, call Pierce & Thornton to discuss your potential case.