During flu season in Kentucky, many people visit their doctors to report symptoms such as fever, aches, chills, coughing and congestion. In some cases, flu-like symptoms can signify the presence of flesh-eating bacteria, a condition known as necrotizing fasciitis. The condition destroys a person's skin and soft tissue and can require surgical removal of the affected parts of the body to save the patient's life.
Retained objects more common after surgery than you may expect
Because they are professionals, you and many other Kentucky patients undoubtedly want to trust your doctors and other medical staff to do what is best in terms of your care. While the majority of medical staff do adhere to these standards of care and try to maintain a thorough and conscious demeanor throughout any treatment or procedures you may need, mistakes can still happen.
Surgical errors can lead to devastating consequences
When Kentucky patients go to a hospital for surgical treatment, they generally trust that they will emerge positively from the experience with improved health and a solution to an ongoing condition. However, when surgical errors or other medical mistakes take place, this may not be the case. Mistakes during surgery can lead to even greater medical problems for the patient and require long-term care, and it can be important for injured patients to seek compensation and accountability for the harm done to them.
Tips to prevent wrong-site surgery
The doctors and surgeons practicing throughout Kentucky are well-trained and bound by a duty of care for their patients. Despite that, these surgeons aren't infallible. According to a study undertaken by Johns Hopkins in 2016, as many as 250,000 deaths across the country were due to medical mistakes attributed to doctors or hospitals.
Staying safe in the vicinity of large trucks
Drivers may not like the thought of sharing Kentucky highways or other roads with large trucks. However, it is important that drivers of passenger vehicles understand how to stay safe in their presence. For instance, it is never a good idea to speed up as a truck begins to change into a smaller vehicle's lane. This is because the truck may not be able to stop or move back into the other lane fast enough to avoid a collision.
Watch out for these issues to avoid hospital injuries
It's logical to assume that thousands of people will enter various hospitals throughout Kentucky during the new year. You might be one of them. Perhaps you have already scheduled some outpatient procedure or are preparing for a much more serious surgery that will require an extended hospital stay. Either way, whatever the reason you plan to seek treatment in a hospital, you want to stay as safe as possible so you don't come away in a worse condition than you were in when you entered.
The conditions that doctors most often misdiagnose
Every year in Kentucky and across the U.S., health care professionals misdiagnose serious health conditions. Those who experience symptoms connected to any of the following conditions may want to consult with a doctor as soon as possible.
