With any luck, you may require a trip to the emergency room once or twice in your lifetime. The trips may wind up costing you more than hours of waiting and thousands of dollars – they could end up costing you permanent injury, illness or even death.
Medical mistakes happen at every level, including in the ER. Here are the most common mishaps that may occur in the emergency room.
1. Misdiagnosis
The most common mistake doctors make in the emergency room is misdiagnosing patients. While harmless in many instances, in some this slip may wind up fatal. If you do not feel comfortable with the results of testing and diagnosis a doctor conveys, get a second opinion. It is always a good idea to follow up with your own primary care physician after a trip to the ER.
2. Wrong medication
Following an order for the wrong medication in either dosage or type may result in an unpleasant interaction or an adverse reaction. In some instances, patients receive the wrong medication entirely. If you have an allergic reaction to certain medications, tell the medical staff upon entering the hospital and then throughout treatment. It is better to be redundant than sorry.
3. Miscommunication
Whether you experience pain or have other symptoms that bother you, it can make you feel worse if you feel like the staff is not paying attention to you. If you repeat yourself over and over about discomfort or other symptoms without medical personnel addressing those concerns, you may lose confidence in the level of treatment you get. Failing to hear and understand the patient leads to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.
The emergency room is not made of perfect people. When you go to see a medical professional with a problem, you should feel heard. If you feel that your needs are not met appropriately, you may want to find someone else to help.
