One of the most extreme examples of medical malpractice is a surgical mistake, such as wrong-site surgery. This type of error can change a person’s life forever. For instance, if a patient undergoes surgery to have their left arm amputated due to a severe infection, but the surgeon mistakenly amputates the right arm. The patient is left with a devastating and lifelong disability.
Because of the severity of these mistakes, surgeons take numerous steps to prevent them. Below are a few examples.
Physically marking patients
Many surgeons use markers to draw on the surgical site before the procedure. They may sketch lines to indicate the exact location of the operation or initial the correct side of the body as a final check before surgery begins. These markings serve as an extra safeguard to ensure the procedure is performed correctly.
Reviewing medical documentation
It is also critical for the surgical team to carefully review medical documentation multiple times. A best practice is for the entire team to pause and verify all records immediately before surgery rather than rushing into the procedure, no matter how tight the schedule is..
Working closely with the patient
When patients are awake and not yet under anesthesia, doctors should focus on direct communication. Sometimes, it’s as simple as asking the patient what procedure they are expecting. In the vast majority of cases, the patient will confirm what the surgeon was already planning to do. However, in the rare instance where there is a discrepancy, this conversation could be a life-saving.one.
Despite these efforts, medical malpractice still occurs, and those who have been harmed need to know what legal steps to take.