Valleywide Legal Blog

The Impaired Physician

Doctors are only human.  They are prey to the same frailties that plague the rest of us.  Like the rest of us, some of them become addicted to alcohol or use narcotics or other substances that can affect their judgment … Read More

Posted in Arizona Medical Board, disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, health, Hospitals, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, medical mistakes, Medical Negligence, Nurses, Secrecy |

Doctors Who Steal

I have been writing lately about medical ethics, which are sometimes more ignored than followed.  The following are instances of doctors being greedy and trying to steal from insurance companies or from Medicare and Medicaid.  It doesn’t matter who you … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Pharmacies |

The Private Equity Investor Will See You Now, But Only For A Few Moments

On the whole, capitalism has been good for the United States.  Lately, however, the rise of private equity companies and their incessant search for centers of profitability has put the medical profession under great strain and our health at risk. … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Nurses |

Those Entrusted With Patient Care Need to Put Patients First

Over the past few years there have been an increasing number of stories about doctors who sexually abuse their patients.  Almost all are serial abusers.  They don’t just abuse one patient; they abuse multiple patients over the years until they … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Hospitals, Lawsuits, medical ethics, never events, plaintiff, Secrecy |

When Hospitals Choose Your Doctor For You

I have often written about the importance of doing some homework when choosing a new doctor.  There are a lot of resources out there and it is foolish not to take advantage of them.  A poorly-qualified doctor, or one who … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Hospitals, Informed Consent, Lawsuits, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, medical malpractice claims, medical mistakes, Secrecy |

The You Tube Trained Surgeon

You Tube and social media are recognized disrupters of almost everything.  Now you can add surgery to the list. Hernia is the general name given to the protrusion of something through a retaining structure into an area where it does … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hospitals, Medical Costs, Medical Devices, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Medicare, robotic surgery, Surgical Errors |

Emergency Rooms Can Be Hazardous To Your Child’s Health

When your child has an emergency condition and needs treatment right now, you don’t have time to research the local emergency rooms to find those which are experienced with and ready to handle pediatric emergencies.  Even if you know that … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Hospital Negligence, Hospitals, medical errors, medical ethics, Medication Errors, Misdiagnosis, Secrecy |

Hospital Puts Money and Prestige Ahead of Patients

Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire had a problem.  Its star cardiothoracic surgeon was killing people.  What to do?  It could protect patients or it could protect itself and its star surgeon.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, it chose the money and … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Hospital Negligence, Hospitals, Lawsuits, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, Secrecy, Surgical Errors |

The Medical Profession’s Dirty Little Secret

The medical profession in the United States is highly respected and highly compensated.  Members of the profession pride themselves on adhering to a Code of Ethics, in which the needs of the patient are paramount and those of the doctor … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Lawsuits, Malpractice caps, medical errors, medical ethics, tort reform |

The Defensive Medicine Scam

One of the complaints doctors often make is that the existence of so many frivolous medical malpractice suits forces them to practice defensive medicine.  By this they mean that the worry of a potential lawsuit makes them order tests or … Read More

Posted in Defensive Medicine, Doctors, Fee for Service, Lawsuits, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, trial |