Valleywide Legal Blog

A Helpful Prostate Cancer Finding

In past posts, I have discussed the overtreatment of low grade prostate cancers and the risks such treatment creates for patients.  There is great societal pressure to treat any cancer, even a low grade prostate cancer which is unlikely to … Read More

Posted in Cancer, Health Care Costs, Medical Costs, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing | Tagged , , , |

Buyer Beware, Patient Beware

From time to time we forget that medicine is a business and we patients are its customers.  I can assure you that doctors and hospitals are clear on this concept.  I don’t mean to suggest that all doctors see you … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Health Care Costs, Hospitals, Lawsuits, Medical Costs, medical ethics, PODS | Tagged , |

Retained Sponges – Never Events which Tiny Transmitters Can Stop

“Never events” are defined as serious medical events which are so easily preventable that they should never happen.  Inadvertently leaving a surgical implement inside of a patient is a never event.  Surprisingly, it happens a lot – 4,500 to 6,000 times … Read More

Posted in Malpractice costs, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, retained sponge, retained surgical instruments, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , |

The Rising Costs of Medical Care

I came across an interesting post in the New York Times recently.  A mother was recounting her experiences with her daughter who had sprained an ankle at dance camp.  The pediatrician said it would get better over time.  When the ankle didn’t get … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Health Care Costs, Malpractice costs, Medical Costs, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, Rationing | Tagged , , |

Medical Malpractice Claims Hit New Low

Evidence that tort reform is unnecessary to preserve quality health care, reduce health care costs, and protect health care providers from frivolous claims continues to mount.  A new study by Public Citizen, which examined information from the National Practitioner Data … Read More

Posted in Health Care Costs, Malpractice caps, Malpractice costs, Medical Costs, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, tort reform | Tagged , , , , , |

Rising Medicare Costs? Don’t Blame Lawyers

One of the fables about health care costs which have been foisted on the American people is that increasing costs are being driven by “frivolous” medical malpractice suits.  Even though every study which has examined the claim has concluded that … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Health Care Costs, Malpractice costs, Medical Costs, Medical Malpractice, Medicare | Tagged , , , |