One example of personal injury case is medical malpractice. The victims and their families suffer much because of fear, financial burden, and the tedious legal process they need to face. But, suspected cases of medical malpractice should not be kept in silence. Equip yourself with the right information about medical malpractice to guide you if you or a loved one experiences it.

Learn what cases qualify as medical malpractice by reading below.

Actions Deviated From Accepted Medical Standards

Firms like Raphaelson Levine explain that medical malpractice happens when a licensed medical professional, such as a doctor, nurse, or anesthesiologist, commits an error, harming the patient’s health. Medical malpractice occurs when the actions of the healthcare professional deviate significantly from accepted medical standards. Because malpractice claims are difficult to prove, it’s important to seek legal help from a malpractice lawyer.

Check the following examples of malpractice claims resulting from actions that deviated from medical standards:

• Incorrect or delayed diagnosis
• Ignoring or misreading laboratory results
• Failure to treat
• Prescription medication errors
• Childbirth injuries
• Surgical or procedural mistakes
• Premature discharge
• Poor follow-up care

Injury Caused By Negligence

Medical professionals are governed by the law and are expected to deliver quality patient care consistent with the standard of care. If proven that the medical worker fails to follow the standard, then there’s negligence involved.

Besides the violation of the standard of care, the presence of injury must be proven to consider a medical malpractice claim valid. Moreover, that the healthcare worker’s negligence caused the injury must be established. Otherwise, there’s no valid medical malpractice case.

Injury Caused Significant Damage 

Pursuing a medical malpractice case against a surgeon, nurse, or any other medical professional can be expensive. For this reason, it’s advised that cases constituting minor damages be amicably settled instead of going to court. Serious forms of medical malpractice, such as surgical errors, can make the practitioner liable for huge damages.

A patient who wants to pursue a medical malpractice case must be able to prove that the case resulted in the following:

• Disability: The injury led to temporary or permanent disability, hindering the patient from returning to work and providing needs for the family. One good example is amputating a patient’s leg that could have otherwise been saved if not for an incorrect diagnosis.
• Loss Of Income: A patient can prove that the injury makes it impossible for him to earn money, entitling him to proper compensation. For instance, a patient can file a medical malpractice claim upon sustaining an allergic reaction to injected antibiotics that prevented him from working for several days because the nurse failed to conduct a skin test before administering the drug.
• Unusual Pain: Chronic and debilitating pain may result because of negligence. A patient can raise a medical malpractice claim because of a painful surgical operation due to the incorrect dose of anesthetic given by the anesthesiologist, resulting in pain and suffering and emotional trauma.
• Suffering And Hardship: The patient must prove the negligence resulted in significant suffering and hardship. One example is experiencing financial difficulties by paying costly medical bills and expenses as caused by the incident. For instance, a cosmetic surgeon can be sued for medical malpractice if the patient lapses into a protracted coma after a liposuction procedure because of too much blood loss, resulting in huge hospital bills.

Medical Malpractice Claims In The New Normal 

The pandemic has brought tremendous impact on public health and economies in the world. Vaccination has started, but doubts, concerns, and questions are being raised.

According to a trusted source, 37% of adults in the United States refuse to get a vaccination, which could be attributed to the long history of Black Americans’ medical malpractice. Questions have been raised about who will be responsible for untoward effects of experimental COVID-19 vaccines, such as the following:

• Who will be responsible for any allergic reaction or untoward emergency arising from COVID vaccination?
• Will medical professionals not be liable for the potential problems caused by COVID vaccines?
• How will a patient or his family prove that a complication or death is due to COVID vaccination?
• Will the vaccine manufacturers provide compensation to the families of people who will be harmed or die due to COVID vaccine adverse reactions?

A qualified medical malpractice lawyer can answer these questions. If you have questions about a malpractice claim arising from the COVID-19 vaccination, talk to a medical malpractice lawyer today.

Conclusion

Healthcare professionals follow a certain code of ethics and standard operating procedures approved by respected medical organizations. If a patient complains of harm because of a medical procedure, medication, or treatment, it will warrant prompt investigation. Medical malpractice constitutes negligence, violation of care, and significant injury and damage.

Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Montefiore Health System announced a new agreement focused on improving the access to quality healthcare for people throughout New York City, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. This latest multi-year agreement continues the longstanding relationship between the two organizations. It features several new community outreach initiatives including health events, a partnership to support nutrition services for at-risk populations, and a mobile health unit to deliver essential testing and screening focused on improving the health of the community.

“We are on a mission to materially and measurably improve the health of all New Yorkers, and we know there are many critical healthcare needs in the Bronx, which ranks 62 out of New York’s 62 counties for health outcomes.i Today, as part of our mission, we signed a new agreement with Montefiore Health System that solidifies our commitment to protect affordability and access to quality care for our members. In these extraordinary times, it’s critical we build a more meaningful partnership that focuses on improving the health of the communities we jointly serve,” said Alan Murray, president, Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

“As we continue to face the challenges of the pandemic, innovative arrangements with insurers enable us to provide the best quality healthcare. Our new agreement with Empire BlueCross BlueShield is built on our mutual commitment to the communities we serve, and sets us on a continued path forward, together, to serve our patients,” said Colleen Blye, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Montefiore Health System.

This new deal builds on Empire’s mission and existing commitment to improving health outcomes in the Bronx. Empire’s work in the Bronx has included events that keep the community healthy, including mask and sanitizer distribution and flu pop-up clinics earlier this year, as well as grants for City Harvest’s Mobile Market Program and NYC Parks’ Shape Up program through Empire’s Foundation. Additionally, Empire is partnering with BronxNet Community Television and is a sponsor of the Go Bronx podcast.

The Bronx was the epicenter of the first wave of COVID-19, and Montefiore increased its bed capacity by 100% to treat COVID-19 patients, initially without federal or state funding. As part of its rapid response, Montefiore spent upwards of $350 million to procure personal protective equipment (PPE), establish seven COVID-19 testing sites throughout the Bronx and Westchester and hire additional out-of-state frontline staff. Montefiore’s ongoing investments include funding a robust telehealth program, establishing a COVID vaccine trials unit, and creating a research and care clinic, offering treatment for COVID patients with long-term chronic symptoms and related health issues. Montefiore serves a population of approximately three million people. Between March and June of 2020, the height of the pandemic, Montefiore treated and safely discharged more than 8,000 patients back to their homes.

About Empire BlueCross BlueShield in New York

Serving New Yorkers for 80 years, Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) is on a mission to materially and measurably improve the health of New Yorkers. Empire is the largest health insurer in New York supporting more than four million members and more than 38,000 business, union and small employers in New York. Empire is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, serving residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State.

About Montefiore Health System

Montefiore Health System is one of New York’s premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families.

To strengthen behavioral health services in Solano County, Adventist Health Vallejo, which has served as the county’s behavioral treatment center of choice for nearly 25 years, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell the hospital and its behavioral health services to Acadia Healthcare, a leading provider of behavioral healthcare in the United States.

“Behavioral health and well-being are central to Adventist Health’s mission, and we are committed to taking actions that meet the needs of our communities,” said Steven Herber, MD, president of Adventist Health services in Vallejo and St. Helena. “Acadia has the national and local experience, clinical expertise and proven track record to be an ideal community partner. They share our vision of enhancing the hospital’s capabilities to provide high-quality behavioral health and substance use services.”

Adventist Health Vallejo, a 61-bed psychiatric hospital that is operated as a service of Adventist Health St. Helena, provides inpatient and outpatient care. Its services include short-term psychiatric care for children, adolescents and adults as well as partial hospitalization services for adults who are experiencing psychiatric problems or are dependent on alcohol, drugs or prescription medications.

As a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services, Acadia Healthcare owns and operates treatment facilities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, including a facility in nearby San Jose. Acadia is solely dedicated to behavioral health and is the partner of choice for many health systems and communities across the country due to its commitment to high quality and integrated care. The investment that Acadia intends to make in the facility and its expertise will help meet the care needs of the community for years to come as the company explores opportunities to expand services.

“Adventist Health took great care and consideration in its process to select Acadia as its community partner, and we are proud they recognized the expertise and commitment to quality that we will bring to Solano County. We will invest in the facility to ensure it continues to serve as the center of behavioral health excellence for the surrounding community,” said Dwight Lacy, group president for the Western Region of Acadia Healthcare. “We look forward to building upon the tremendous foundation provided by Adventist Health for many years to come.”

Adventist Health recently expanded its behavioral health offerings through a partnership investment with Synchronous Health that leverages the power of human connection with AI to deliver behavioral healthcare to millions of people. Nearby Adventist Health St Helena, which operates a 21-bed mental health unit, also expanded behavioral health inpatient services by opening a 12-bed behavioral medical unit to better care for the needs of patients with both medical and behavioral health diagnoses.

Recognizing that people and continuity are the heart of behavioral health healing, Acadia Healthcare intends to retain current staff and associates.

The organizations expect to complete the transaction, following regulatory approval, by mid-2021 and will look for additional opportunities to partner together.

NTT Research, Inc., a division of NTT announced that its Medical & Health Informatics (MEI) Lab has entered a joint research agreement with Japan’s National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center (NCVC) to develop cardiovascular disease-related computational models, implement them on a bio digital twin platform and develop applications for use by physicians and patients. The two-and-a-half-year project titled, “The Development of Human Hemodynamics Mapping and Autonomous Multimodal Therapeutics Systems,” involves research at both organizations. Principal investigators for the joint research agreement will be Dr. Keita Saku, Laboratory Chief for NCVC’s Department of Cardiovascular Dynamics, and Dr. Joe Alexander, Distinguished Scientist in the NTT Research MEI Lab.

The agreement, signed on December 24, 2020, calls for the NCVC to develop integrated computational models to support multimodal closed-loop interventions for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute heart failure (Acute HF). In parallel, the MEI Lab will implement these models into a bio digital twin platform and develop physician- and patient-oriented applications to support physician clinical decision making and patient self-care, respectively. The NCVC is a semi-independent national institution. Its government affiliation is through the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the counterpart to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCVC focuses on intramural cardiovascular clinical practice and dedicated cardiovascular research, similar to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Unlike the NHLBI, however, the NCVC is not a cardiovascular research funding agency. Near-term goals for the joint project, which began in October 2020 and extends through March 2023, include the development and validation of models representing heart and vascular dynamics, particularly as they relate to AMI and Acute HF.

“We are very pleased to launch this collaboration with the NCVC and this year expect to create heart and vascular models that will include neural control of the circulation, as well as heart energetics,” said MEI Lab Director, Dr. Hitonobu Tomoike. “These model elements will be fundamental to future computational platforms for determining optimal therapies for heart conditions, such as heart attack and acute heart failure, and will represent a major step forward in the realization of the cardiovascular bio digital twin for important, acute cardiac conditions.”

The NTT Research MEI Lab aspires to build highly complex digital assets essential to patient care and wellbeing. Its bio digital twin initiative seeks to address the complexity of diseases while helping to determine the best remedies from among a range of therapeutic options. New computational models that Dr. Keita Saku will develop in support of a cardiovascular bio digital twin (CV BioDT) will help determine optimal interventions for AMI and Acute HF across multiple therapeutic modalities, such as medications, medical devices, neuromodulation, etc. The ultimate goal is to realize patient-specific CV BioDTs to enable patient-specific therapeutics.

“We have chosen to partner with Dr. Saku and the NCVC because of their internationally recognized expertise in cardiovascular regulation and advanced technologies relating to closed-loop automated therapeutic interventions for conditions such as heart failure and mechanical circulatory support,” said Dr. Alexander. “As we begin this exciting project, we would also like to acknowledge the instrumental support of Dr. Kenji Sunagawa, professor emeritus in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Kyushu University and founder of the Department of Cardiovascular Dynamics at the NCVC Research Institute, who trained both Dr. Saku and me at Johns Hopkins, helped orchestrate this agreement and going forward will play a leadership role in this project for the MEI Lab.”

The MEI Lab has already conducted two proof-of-concept studies to establish requirements and frame the initial bio digital twin platform architecture. The CV BioDT models developed through this joint research agreement will need to be validated in further studies before subsequent validation in preclinical human studies. These tests will be conducted at NCVC hospitals. During later stages of CV BioDT validation and rollout that extend beyond the time horizon of this particular research agreement, additional organ systems (e.g. pulmonary, renal, endocrine and central nervous system) will be added towards the goal of an overall bio digital twin, a digital alter ego capable of replicating an individual’s underlying physiological systems and their responses.

In related research, the MEI Lab is engaged in a multi-year project involving three-dimensionally transformable, biocompatible and implantable electrodes. In August 2020, NTT Research announced the opening of an office in Munich in support of a joint research agreement with the Technical University of Munich (TUM), which links the MEI Lab with the Neuroelectronics Group within TUM’s School of BioEngineering. Leading that office is Dr. Tetsuhiko Teshima, an expert in nanomaterials. The MEI Lab believes that development of the bio digital twin will be informed not only by a vast array of biological, physiological, genomic, phenotypic and health records data, but also by data gleaned from wearable and advanced nanosensor devices.

About NTT Research

NTT Research opened its offices in July 2019 as a new Silicon Valley startup to conduct basic research and advance technologies that promote positive change for humankind. Currently, three labs are housed at NTT Research facilities in Sunnyvale: the Physics and Informatics (PHI) Lab, the Cryptography and Information Security (CIS) Lab, and the Medical and Health Informatics (MEI) Lab. The organization aims to upgrade reality in three areas: 1) quantum information, neuro-science and photonics; 2) cryptographic and information security; and 3) medical and health informatics. NTT Research is part of NTT, a global technology and business solutions provider with an annual R&D budget of $3.6 billion.

IntelliCentrics (6819.HK), a healthcare technology platform company and innovator of the SEC³URE Ethos, SEC³URE Passport, Link & GO! and BioBytes™ serving North America, the United Kingdom and China, all on an integrated, end-to-end technology platform, announces the creation of the industry’s first COVID-19 credential available to all users across its technology platform. This first-of-its-kind solution provides facilities with the data they need to ensure optimal steps are taken for each individual entering the facility.

Healthcare facilities are faced with the challenge of providing a safe environment to both COVID and non-COVID visitors. In order to accomplish this, facilities need to know, who among their visitors have received the COVID-19 vaccine, who have not, with a focus on the frontline healthcare workers. IntelliCentrics’ technology delivers all of this while going a step further by providing necessary insights to manage medically necessary exceptions.

“We relish the fact that our technology supports frontline workers who are most at risk in the battle against COVID-19,” said Michael Sheehan, CEO of IntelliCentrics. “And we understand the best solution needs to be a total solution, so we used our experience and made this work for virtually every possible scenario in the entire care delivery system. The result is that patients can once again receive treatments and have loved ones by their side without feeling vulnerable to the virus.”

When circumstances require, IntelliCentrics’ technology also provides facilities with the ability to set up alternatives such as attestation, screening questions, and PPE requirements as part of their COVID-19 credential. It is a total solution in that it covers all categories of individuals entering the facility and their unique circumstances.

IntelliCentrics’ technology platform currently hosts over 11,000 facilities worldwide, giving facilities the control and communication tools to inform all visitors, from the waiting room to the board room, their role in creating a safe and secure environment. Sheehan added, “the power of our community is in its varied and collective experiences and sharing what we have learned from SARS, H1N1, and all other vaccine-based policies.”

About IntelliCentrics
With a mission to use trust to make high-quality healthcare as accessible as a good cup of coffee, IntelliCentrics created the SEC3URE Ethos. Built on three core principles – transparency, neutrality, and independence, the SEC3URE Ethos is relied on by more than 11,000 locations of care worldwide to ensure mutual trust between patients, doctors, vendor representatives and healthcare companies. To learn more about the world’s largest trusted healthcare technology platform, visit www.intellicentrics.com. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine credential, visit our COVID-19 Solution Center. IntelliCentrics is publicly traded on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code 6819.

Healthfully, an enterprise healthcare solutions company, announced today that its consumer health platform is now supporting wellness tracking and services. This capability has been implemented at the Flagler Health+ health system. An important component of this platform extension is Healthfully’s integration of data feeds from a range of remote patient monitoring devices.

Healthfully has partnered with Flagler Health+ to deliver intelligent experiences that eliminate friction throughout all aspects of the healthcare journey. Consumers have a single point of entry through the Flagler Health+ Anywhere app, which supports scheduling, telemedicine, bill pay, health and wellness programs, and connecting individuals to online health and support communities. Use of the solution has been progressively expanded across care settings, including primary care, behavioral health, surgery, radiology, pediatrics, hospitalists, and many others.

Healthfully’s integration includes fitness trackers, smart watches, weight scales, SpO2, and other remote devices. Data from these devices enhances the Healthfully platform to provide full support for wellness services provided by health coaches and care providers such as nutrition, fitness, and chronic care management.

Paul Viskovich, Healthfully CEO, said, “This latest platform expansion adds value to health systems in their drive to expand service offerings, incorporating RPM & wellness services into their overall patient relationships. It enhances patient engagement, experience and satisfaction and improves outcomes.”

About Healthfully

Healthfully unifies access, support, and rewards to optimize consumer health. We provide enterprise organizations with a white-label, digital health experience platform to engage and empower consumers on their health and wellness journey. The platform blends compelling and valuable functions, intelligence, and content for patients, consumers, and communities, creating a great patient experience and helping achieve the goals of value-based care and population health management.

US-based healthcare providers Baptist Health South Florida and Nicklaus Children’s Health System have activated their collaboration for paediatric emergency care.

The latest move follows signing of an agreement by the two organisations to expand their collaboration for paediatric care, in September last year. As part of the deal, they will work together for the betterment of the children and families of South Florida.

Baptist Health stated that the Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists (NCPS) physicians are now appointed to work at the 24-hour paediatric emergency departments at Baptist Health as well as at the Homestead Hospital from this week.

Meanwhile, the paediatric emergency physicians currently working at the Baptist Hospital and Homestead Hospital emergency departments are now employed by NCPS, which is the medical group practice of Nicklaus Children’s Health System.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital vice-president and chief medical officer Marcos Mestre said: “We welcome the Baptist-based pediatric emergency physicians to our Nicklaus Children’s family.

“We are pleased that they will continue to offer services to families who have come to know them at Baptist Hospital and Homestead Hospital emergency departments, while also engaging with the extensive array of pediatric subspecialists available on our medical staff to support children and families with continuing specialised care needs.”

Additionally, Baptist Health will extend an arrangement, which was in place since April last year, to transfer children who require inpatient admission to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for paediatric care.

With 11 hospitals and over 23,000 employees, the organisation also provides other paediatric services such as neonatal intensive care (NICU), paediatric oncology services, outpatient paediatric general surgical and orthopaedic surgical care. With 11 hospitals and over 23,000 employees, the organisation also provides other paediatric services such as neonatal intensive care (NICU), paediatric oncology services, outpatient paediatric general surgical and orthopaedic surgical care.