Larger Hospital Emergency Departments Planned in Florida – Jupiter and Delray Beach

Delray Medical Center and Jupiter Medical Center are overhauling their emergency departments to address the lengthy wait times for patients to be seen by emergency room physicians.  The expansions come as national studies show an increase in patients, particularly the elderly, using emergency departments.  In Palm Beach County, patients can wait several hours to receive emergency care, with delays climbing during the winter months when the population swells.  The two (2) hospitals are spending nearly $10 million dollars to nearly double the size of their emergency rooms.  Jupiter is spending another $4.2 million dollars to add a “progressive care unit” for critically ill patients who do not need intensive care.  Emergency department visits nationwide rose 25% to about 114 million between 1993 and 2003 according to a study reported in the December issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine.

To read the entire Sun Sentinel article, please click on the link below:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flper0103pnjan03,0,1516832.story

For more information on defending medical malpractice, nursing home and general liability matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at Citron & Associates, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Boston Dairy Allegedly Linked to 3 Deaths and Miscarriage from Contaminated Milk

Health officials report that three (3) elderly men have died and at least one (1) pregnant woman has miscarried since last June after allegedly drinking bacteria contaminated milk from the dairy’s plant outside of Boston, Massachusetts.  These individuals were all allegedly infected with listeria which is extremely rare to find in pasteurized milk.  It is more often found in raw foods such as uncooked meat and vegetables and processed foods such as soft cheeses and cold cuts.  The outbreak is believed to be only the third time listeria has ever been linked to pasteurized milk in the United States.  Health investigators are looking at the cooling and bottling machinery, including the connecting pipes, for the source of the bacteria after tests at the plant revealed no deficiencies with the pasteurization process.

To read the entire Sun Sentinel article, please click on the following link:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/health/sfl-flamilk0109sbjan09,0,3595561.story

For more information on defending medical malpractice, nursing home and general liability matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at Citron & Associates, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.