A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Inspector General found 29 percent of patients in rehabilitation hospitals will suffer some sort of adverse event while undergoing care. Common types of events include preventable injuries due to medication errors, bedsores, or falls.
According to the report, almost half of potential injuries can be prevented. Doctors analyzing the report concluded patients entering our nation’s rehabilitation facilities face high rates of harm and the situation is not getting any better than it was in previous years.
Patients usually visit rehabilitation hospitals because they are recovering from surgery or an adverse medical event like a stroke, heart attack, or other serious injury. These individuals are usually healthier than patients who may need to stay in hospitals or nursing homes.
While at rehab facilities, patients are customarily expected to undergo some type of physical therapy with the aim of the individual returning to their home and eventually taking care of him or herself. However, patients suffering from brain or spinal injuries may need continued care once they complete their therapy.
Approximately one-quarter of those harmed in a rehabilitation facility end up in an acute care hospital setting like an emergency room or intensive care unit, according to the DHHS investigation. Those emergency hospitalizations cost taxpayers $7.7 million for one month alone identified by the study.
Expert review of the findings concluded half of the injuries were due to a medication error like loss of consciousness due to pain killers or gastric ulcers caused by blood thinners. Other causes of injury included deviation from the standard of care, poor treatment, and failure to properly monitor patients.
If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury while undergoing treatment has a rehabilitation hospital, it could be because the doctors or nurses made mistakes by violating the legally mandated standard of care. At The Cochran Firm, D.C., our rehab hospital injury lawsuit attorneys take this maltreatment very seriously and can help you investigate the cause of the accident or injury.
To get the justice and compensation you and your family deserve, contact our office. You can reach us at 202-682-5800 during business hours or at 1-800-THE FIRM (843-3476) to speak to someone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Strict time deadlines apply to filing rehabilitation hospital injury lawsuits so please contact us at your earliest convenience and preserve your legal rights.
