“Hospital Compare” Website – Ranks and Compares Hospital Treatment for Patients

The U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services has a website that delivers information on how well hospitals care for patients with certain medical conditions or surgical procedures, and the results of a survey of patients about the quality of care the patients received  during a recent hospital stay.

Please click on the link below to access this site:

http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/Hospital/Search/Welcome.asp?version=default&browser=IE%7C7%7CWindows+Vista&language=English&defaultstatus=0&pagelist=Home

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Access Information Online About Your Doctor

The Federation of State Medical Boards has a website that allows you to order professional information on physicians and physician assistants.  The reports include information about disciplinary sanctions, education, medical specialty, licensure history and locations.  The cost of each report is $9.95.

Please click on the link below to access the site:

http://www.docinfo.org/

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Nationwide, The Rate of Dog Bite Injuries Is On The Rise

Nationwide, the rate of dog bite injuries is on the rise. The cost of treating these injuries is rising even faster. In 2002, the average dog bite claim was $16,600. In 2005, the cost rose to $21,200. Dog bite claims in 2005 accounted for nearly 15 percent of liability claims paid under homeowners insurance policies. These bites cost the property/casualty insurance industry $317.2 million in 2005 and $352.4 million in 2006, a 10.8% percent increase.  Wounds inflicted by dogs can be overwhelming, especially to children. The small height of a child almost always results in facial wounds. Repairing these wounds usually requires reconstructive surgery. Techniques such as grafting and microsurgical repair need multiple operations over time. Scar diminishment treatments, such as, dermabrasion (sanding of the skin) and pressure scar modification, also require multiple procedures. According to the CDC, most dog bites consist of puncture (40%), laceration (25%) and contusion (6%) wounds. Fractures, amputations and infections also result. Repairing bone damage of crushing and fracture injury often requires multiple operations and physical therapy. Nerve damage may also be a factor. When nerve damage occurs, the victim may suffer permanent loss of feeling in parts of a limb and in worst-case scenarios, complete loss of use of a limb. Nearly all dog bite victims suffer psychological damage, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Even with treatment, fear of another attack may never fade. Each time a victim walks down a sidewalk, strolls through a park or visits a dog owner’s home, the trauma returns. Man’s best friend — to the irony and horror of a dog bite victim — is fully integrated into our society. Stories abound, particularity about senior citizens, who simply never leave their home again after a dog attack.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Dogbites.org article:

http://www.dogsbite.org/victim-realities.htm

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

The Scope of Physical Deformity Caused by Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites result in approximately 44,000 facial injuries in US hospitals each year. This represents between 0.5% and 1.5% of all emergency room visits. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States seeks medical attention for a dog bite. Male patients slightly outnumber females in most studies. Unfortunately children comprise 60% of the dog bite victims. Severe injuries occur almost exclusively in children less than 10 years of age. The face is the most frequent target (77% of all injures). Mail carriers are an exception where 97% involve the lower extremities. We see an unusual number of dreadful injuries each spring. Severely injured patients stay an average of 4.2 days in the hospital. Dog bites cause an average of 18 deaths a year.

Almost $165 million is spent treating dog bites in the United States for the estimated 800,000 dog bite related injuries requiring treatment each year. 70% of dog bites occur on the owner’s property. These wounds potentially result in disfiguring scars. The central target area for the face includes the lips, nose, and cheeks. Dog bites are becoming more common with a 37% increase in medically treated cases between 1986 to 1994 (dog population rose less than 2%). The vast majority of bites are by pet dogs and happen when people are engaged in socially acceptable behavior in appropriate places. They generally (61%) occur close to dog’s home or home of the bitten person. Typically (77%) injuries are by friendly dogs known to the bitten person. In one study of an urban emergency room of children less than 4 years old, 47% were bitten by their dog and 90% were bitten at home.

While any dog can bite, the top biting breeds include:

• Pit Bulls
• Rotweilers
• German Shepherds
• Huskies
• Doberman Pinschers
• Chow Chows

Please click on the link below to read the complete Plasticsurgery4u.com article:

http://www.plasticsurgery4u.com/procedure_folder/dog_bite.html

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

New Type Of Surgery Used For Dog Attack Victim

A new kind of surgery is helping a Minnesota mother — who was attacked by her friend’s dogs — enjoy a normal life. A bulldog and a pit bull jumped Paula Ybarra last March. One dog bite tore an artery that never healed right. The tear in Ybarra’s artery caused strokes and could have lead to an aneurysm.  Her doctors at Hennepin County Medical Center decided to try something new. On Jan. 9, surgeons put a stent normally used in the heart into her neck. Now, 10 months after the animal attack killed her, Paula Ybarra has reason to smile.  She just had her final surgery on her road to recovery. “I’m just so happy that it’s over and everything turned out great,” said Ybarra. “In the past, we would have closed up this vertebral artery and allowed her to just live off one vertebral artery supplying the back of the brain,” said Dr. Vallabh Janardhan, of the Hennepin County Medical Center. However, the procedure would have left Ybarra with only one working artery to the back of her brain, which was an anxiety she didn’t want to live with.  So, she told her doctors to go ahead with the new surgery. The surgery resulted in closing the gap where the tear was and the artery began working like it was supposed to. “They’ve never done it.  Never done it before, but … I trusted my doctor.  Trusted him and I knew that I’d be alright,” said Ybarra. Just one day after surgery, Ybarra headed home to her three young girls.

Please click on the link below to read the complete WCCO.com article:

http://wcco.com/local/surgery.neck.injury.2.627380.html

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Fort Lauderdale to Pay $100,000 After Child’s Finger Crushed on a Park Seesaw

The family of a 4-year-old whose fingertip was crushed by a seesaw at Holiday Park won a $100,000 settlement from the city Tuesday. Monica Werner sued the city after her son, Marcel Levi, was injured on Dec. 29, 2006. He was at the park on Sunrise Boulevard with his father that day, and was playing with other children when his left index finger “got caught in the area where the springs are located” and was crushed, city documents say. The boy had two surgeries and ultimately lost the tip of his finger. The medical bills totaled $43,380, according to the city.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Sun Sentinel article:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/fort_lauderdale/sfl-flblauderdale1119sbnov19,0,7588633.story

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Illinois Justices Consider Constitutionality of Medical Malpractice Caps

If the Illinois Supreme Court decides to strike down limits on medical malpractice awards it could mean fewer doctors practicing in the state, sources told Legal Newsline. The state’s high court is examining the constitutionality of caps lawmakers placed on lawsuit awards. In 2005, state legislators passed a law that capped non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in medical malpractice suits to $500,000 for doctors and $1 million for hospitals. The three-year-old law, however, does not limit actual damages, including medical expenses and lost wages. Proponents of the caps say the Illinois Medical Malpractice Act of 2005 is a commonsense way to keep doctors, particularly in underserved areas, from being driven out of practice by skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance rates.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Legal Newsline article:

http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/217448-illinois-justices-consider-constitutionality-of-medical-malpractice-caps

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Why You Should Be Concerned About Medical Malpractice

Rising medical malpractice suits could become a big concern not only for physicians and policy makers, but the general public (i.e., prospective patients) as well. According to the Congressional Budget Office, premiums for medical malpractice rose by an average of 15 percent between 2000 and 2002. And that number is just an average, with some regions experiencing a much sharper increase than others. For example, a county in Florida experienced a surgeon premium increase of 75 percent. Escalating premiums could quite possibly deter current students considering careers in medicine from joining the field, or influence which field of medicine they join. As a result, residents of counties with high malpractice premiums could very well become under served in future years, as surgeons may seek work elsewhere to avoid harsh premiums.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Erie Times article:

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081121/LIFESTYLES07/311219938/-1/LIFESTYLES21

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Statistics on Dog Bites and Attacks in the United States

The Citron Law Firm handles dog bite and animal attackcases throughout the State of Florida.  We have researched the statistics of dog bites, attacks and maimings in the United States and abroad and offer one article that stands out.  It details the type of injury and associated breeds responsible for same.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Dogsbite.org article:

http://www.dogsbite.org/pdf/dog-attacks-merritt-clifton-2007.pdf

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Giving Birth at Home to Avoid Doctors and Hospitals

Seeking alternatives to hospitals and doctors, some mothers decide giving birth at home is their best option. While still small in number, home births are gaining interest from women who want more control over their bodies and labor without medical intervention. The number of home births tripled from 1995 to 2005 but still accounts for less than 1 percent of births those years, according to data compiled by the nonprofit Florida Friends of Midwives. The move from hospital to home is a backlash against obstetricians who, some women and midwives say, induce labor or perform Caesarean sections unnecessarily. At the same time, celebrities such as former talk show host Ricki Lake are bringing attention to the option. As some states considered regulating midwives and home births, the American Medical Association declared earlier this year that hospitals and accredited birthing centers are the only safe places for childbirth. Dr. Jay Trabin, a Boynton Beach obstetrician, acknowledged doctors haven’t always accommodated their patients’ desires for births without medical intervention. Obstetricians face several challenges: the high cost of medical malpractice insurance, the fear of being sued and the pressure to practice efficiently in a time of low reimbursement for care. Women who choose home birth typically have low-risk pregnancies. But a pregnancy free of complications doesn’t predict what could happen during delivery, Trabin said. For example, umbilical cord prolapse has occurred in about a dozen of the 6,000 babies he’s delivered over 30 years. The complication, during which the umbilical cord emerges before the baby, requires a quick delivery. If there’s a delay, the baby can suffer brain damage. “If [a midwife] has delivered 100 babies, how can [that midwife] be prepared to handle it?” asked Trabin, an AMA member and chairman-elect of the Florida chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The AMA cites a study from Washington state showing the death rate of babies born at home is twice that of those born in hospitals.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Sun Sentinel article:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flohomebirths0810sbaug10,0,2487303.story

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

The Doctor’s Hands Are Germ-Free. The Scrubs Too?

Many hospitals have stepped up efforts to encourage regular hand washing by doctors. But what about their clothes? Amid growing concerns about hospital infections and a rise in drug-resistant bacteria, the attire of doctors, nurses and other health care workers — worn both inside and outside the hospital — is getting more attention. While infection control experts have published extensive research on the benefits of hand washing and equipment sterilization in hospitals, little is known about the role that ties, white coats, long sleeves and soiled scrubs play in the spread of bacteria. The discussion was reignited this year when the British National Health Service imposed a “bare below the elbows” rule barring doctors from wearing ties and long sleeves, both of which are known to accumulate germs as doctors move from patient to patient. (In the United States, hospitals generally require doctors to wear “professional” dress but have no specific edicts about ties and long sleeves.) But while some data suggest that doctors’ garments are crawling with germs, there’s no evidence that clothing plays a role in the spread of hospital infections. And some researchers report that patients have less confidence in a doctor whose attire is casual. This month, the medical journal BJU International cited the lack of data in questioning the validity of the new British dress code. Still, experts say the absence of evidence doesn’t mean there is no risk — it just means there is no good research. A handful of reports do suggest that the clothing of health workers can be a reservoir for risky germs.

Please click on the link below to read the complete New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/health/23well.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=health&adxnnlx=1226409268-YEvN2Uyp+bdp040v0Dq56w

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Fewer Medical Malpractice Suits – But Is That a Good Thing?

In 2003, the lawyers fought fiercely with the doctors and their insurance companies over legislation that would keep the lawyers from suing the doctors and their insurance companies, or at least from suing them so often and for so much. The doctors’ side prevailed at the time, the state legislature strongly approving their bill. Five years later, all is not calm. The lawyers keep hacking away at the legislation in court, with considerable success, even though some of them say that the bill never had as much impact as its backers intended. The doctors say the bill had a great and beneficial impact until the Arkansas Supreme Court began mucking it up. The two sides agree only that much still remains to be resolved. From the record so far, it appears the doctors own the legislative branch of government, the lawyers have the judiciary, and the executive branch is lying low. Act 649 of 2003 was the so-called “tort reform” bill. It aided corporate defendants as well as doctors, but the bill’s proponents liked to keep the doctors out front, in the interest of public relations. (Equally aware of the medical profession’s generally favorable reputation, plaintiffs’ lawyers in malpractice cases like to say they’re not really suing doctors, they’re suing insurance companies. Defense lawyers in malpractice cases, while paid by insurance companies, like to say that they’re really defending doctors.)

Please click on the link below to read the complete Arkansas Times article:

http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=a26a0bf1-aca7-4198-b6a6-f2e312537af6

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Gallbladder Complications Fall After Work Limits for Surgical Residents

Eighty-hour weekly limits on work for surgical residents haven’t hurt patients, as some in the medical community feared. In fact, surgical complications have fallen, according to a new study of gallbladder procedures at a California hospital, though it’s unclear whether the change has anything to do with residents getting more sleep. The study appear in the current Archives of Surgery and looks at the effect of the restrictions on gallbladder surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif. The researchers looked back at the medical records of 2,470 patients who had their gallbladders removed laparoscopically — about half of them before UCLA put the 80-hour restriction on residents in place, and about half of them afterward. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a minimally invasive technique, is one of the most commonly performed procedures by surgical residents, the authors write.  The upshot: after the shorter work weeks, fewer patients had surgical injuries to the bile ducts, a problem that’s one of most frequent triggers for malpractice suits. The results were interesting because a greater percentage of patients treated after the shorter work week came along were male and had acute cholecystitis, both of which are associated with a higher risk of bile-duct injury. But it’s not clear exactly why the second group ended up having fewer complications.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Wall Street Journal article:

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/09/15/gallbladder-complications-fall-after-work-limits-for-surgical-residents/?mod=googlenews_wsj

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Brand-Name Drug Makers Liable For Generic Drug Injuries

A ruling on Friday by a California appeals court is likely to spark a good many lawsuits against big pharma. The upshot – brand-name drugmakers were put on notice that they can be held liable not only for harm caused by their own meds, but also for injuries caused by a generic drugmaker selling a copycat version. The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco reinstated a lawsuit by Elizabeth Conte, who had taken a generic version of Wyeth’s Reglan heartburn med for nearly four years and developed tardive dyskinesia, which causes incurable and involuntary muscle movements. Although she took only generics, Conte accused Wyeth and three generic drugmakers of failing to warn of the risk of long-term use. In reaching its 3-to-0 decision, the court cited evidence that Conte’s doctor may have relied on product warnings distributed to physicians by Wyeth when he decided to prescribe the generic version. Meanwhile, summary judgement in favor of the generic drugmakers – Teva Pharmaceuticals, Pliva and Purepac Pharmaceuticals – was upheld. “As the foreseeable risk of physical harm runs to users of both name-brand and generic drugs,” Justice Peter Siggins wrote, “so too runs the duty of care and Wyeth has not persuaded us that consideration of other factors requires a different conclusion…We believe California law supports Conte’s position that Wyeth owes a duty of care to those people it should reasonably foresee are likely to ingest metoclopramide in either the name-brand or generic versions when it is prescribed by their physicians in reliance on Wyeth’s representations.” (Here is the ruling).

Please click on the link below to read the complete Pharmalot article:

http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/11/brand-name-makers-liable-for-generic-injuries/

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Man Addicted to Water Dies by Drinking from Hose: Nursing Home Criticized at Inquest for Failing to Protect

A nursing home has come under attack for failing to look after a man addicted to drinking water who died after gorging on a hosepipe. Andrew Else was an “aquaholic” for 30 years, an inquest into his death heard. Yesterday his brother, Stephen, said he should not have been left alone near free-flowing water. Else, 54, from Milton Keynes, told the inquest: “The water drinking had been a problem for years. I am concerned about the access he had to the hosepipe. “Here is something with which it is easy to drink a large quantity of water very quickly. Andrew was obviously drinking from it, but no one took the decision to turn it off.” Else, 51, who was autistic, developed his condition after getting chronic stomach pains in his 20s. He often drank from bathroom taps and would go to great lengths to satisfy his craving, the inquest at Newbury town hall in Berkshire heard. Staff at the Voyage centre in Theale, near Reading, Berks, were criticised by the victim’s brother for not monitoring him after he was seen drinking from the hosepipe in May this year. He was later found drenched and lifeless. Patima Silima, the deputy manager of the Voyage centre, told the inquest that her nurses and staff had done all they could to monitor Else’s behaviour on the day he died. “I spotted him drinking water from the hosepipe in the garden at around 5pm, so I told the staff to monitor him,” she said. “A little later I looked out into the garden and saw him trying to turn the hosepipe tap off. His jumper and knees were wet, so for me it was clear he had been drinking again. “We brought him indoors and gave him some medication to calm him down and he seemed to be fine.” Silima said she was called back to the garden at 8.15pm to find Else had collapsed. “His lips had changed colour and he was cold.” Dr Colin McCormick, a pathologist, said Else died from over-consumption of water, which diluted the levels of sodium in his blood, causing heart failure. Toxicology tests found he had also suffered water intoxication, or hyponatraemia, after drinking several litres. The deputy coroner, Pearl Willis, recorded a verdict of accidental death. “Andrew was an emotional individual who had a fascination with drinking water spanning many years,” he said. “He wouldn’t have known the dangers of drinking too much water, and although maybe the hosepipe should have been turned off earlier, I feel it is appropriate to record a verdict of accidental death.”

Please click on the link below to read the complete Guardian article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/oct/31/aquaholic-inquest

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Don’t Become the Victim of a Surgical Error

When our 2-year-old daughter had hernia surgery, he insisted on seeing the surgeon minutes before to remind him that the hernia was on her right side, not her left. The nurses weren’t happy; it wasn’t protocol to have the surgeon meet with parents immediately before a procedure. “Maybe this is overkill,” I said to my husband. “He knows what side the hernia’s on. He’s already seen her twice in his office. Plus, we’ve told the pre-op nurses 10 times it’s on the right side.” But experts tell me my husband was right on. Mistakes do happen, no matter how great the surgeon, and it behooves you to help them get it right. Witness these headlines: Minnesota doctors remove the healthy kidney of a cancer patient while leaving the diseased one behind; California doctors remove the appendix of the wrong patient; one of the most experienced surgeons in a Boston, Massachusetts, hospital operates on the wrong side of a patient. All of these mistakes happened in the past year.  Solid numbers are hard to come by, because most states don’t require doctors to report surgical errors. To make sure you’re not the next victim, you might have to get pushy, like my husband did. “You need to be that thorn in their side,” said Dr. Samuel Seiden, an anesthesiologist who’s co-author of a study on surgical errors. Of course, looking out for yourself can be tough when you’re anesthetized. But Seiden and other surgical errors experts say there are steps you can take to lower the chances you’ll become the next headline.

1. Check out your doctor and hospital

Specifically, ask your doctor how many times he or she has done this procedure, and compare that with other physicians.

You can check out the hospital by going to HealthGrades or The Leapfrog Group, which rank hospitals by specialty. (For example, you can find good places to get hip surgery in Topeka, Kansas, or to have a baby in New York.) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has detailed information about procedures performed at different hospitals.

2. Tell everyone who you are and why you’re having surgery.You may feel like an idiot, but tell all the nurses and doctors your name, your date of birth, and what surgery you’re having (for example, “I’m John Smith, I was born 10/21/70, and I’m having arthroscopic surgery on my left knee.”). This can help prevent you receiving a surgery intended for someone down the hall. (Of course, if your name really is John Smith, you might want to give your address, too).

3. Make sure your doctor initials your site

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges its members to sign their initials directly on the site before surgery (shown in the group’s public service ads, like the one pictured above). Make sure your surgeon — not somebody else — does the signing and that it’s in the right place.

4. Confirm the surgery site with the surgeon right before the procedure

You may have already told the nurses, but it’s the surgeon who’s doing the actual cutting, so you need to tell him or her directly, says Dr. James Beaty, past president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

“You should say, ‘I’m not going back to surgery until I see my doctor and we confirm that this is the right site,’ ” he said.

5. Train someone to be your advocate

Don’t just bring a friend or family member to your surgery; train them to advocate for you. You’re likely to be anxious and a little addled before the surgery (not to mention asleep during it), so you’ll need help.

“Equip them with the information they need,” advised Ilene Corina, president of PULSE of New York, a patient advocacy group. For example, your advocate can help you check the initials on the surgical site or help you contact your surgeon.

Please click on the link below to read the complete CNN article:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/17/ep.surgical.errors/index.html

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Florida Tops Nation in Mortgage Fraud

Florida leads the nation in the amount of mortgage fraud-related activity, according to a report released Monday. Florida had more than $293 million in mortgage fraud in the third quarter, according to FraudBlogger, which noted that some of the states with the most fraud activity also had the most foreclosures. Florida’s mortgage fraud surged $86 million from the second quarter to the third quarter. Nationwide, between July 1 and Sept. 30, there was $1.1 billion in active criminal and civil cases of mortgage fraud, down from $1.7 billion in the second quarter and $1.2 billion during the third quarter of last year.

Please click on the link below to read the complete South Florida Business Journal article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/10/27/daily5.html?f=et81&ana=e_du

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Florida Luxury Homes Going Into Foreclosure

In a sign that just about everyone is being hit hard by the economic downturn, a new report shows 33 luxury properties have been, or are on the verge of being, repossessed. The homes, valued at $1 million to $5 million, include 14 luxury condominiums and 19 single-family estates on or near the water in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, according to a new report from Condo Vultures. Most of the distressed properties are in Miami (11), Miami Beach (8), Hollywood (4) and Coral Gables (3). Aventura, Boca Raton, Coconut Grove, Fisher Island, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach and Sunny Isles Beach each have one distressed property priced at $1 million or more that is in foreclosure or already owned by the bank, according to the report. “There are about 109,000 residences for sale in South Florida today, and 8,100, or 7 percent, of these residences are priced at $1 million or more,” said Peter Zalewski, a principal with Condo Vultures. “Statistically, to have 33 luxury properties in trouble from a pool of 8,100 residences is not dramatic. Still, it is bit surprising that 33 luxury properties have been or are on the verge of being repossessed.” Condo Vultures, which tracks properties east of Interstate 95 in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, found 1,706 properties in foreclosure or owned by the bank. Most are priced at $300,000 or less. However, the database shows there are 251 properties priced between $301,000 and $500,000 and 190 priced between $501,000 and $999,000. The lowest price for a foreclosure in the database is $24,900, and the highest price is $4.3 million.

Please click on the link below to read the complete South Florida Business Journal article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/10/27/daily3.html?f=et81&ana=e_du

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Woman Didn’t Know She Was Pregnant, Gives Birth — Now Hospital Is Sued

Robin Lumley, childless, overweight and unmarried at 46, arrived at an emergency room 2 1/2 years ago complaining of terrible abdominal pain. Nurses documented her symptoms and a doctor ordered tests. When Lumley said she needed to use the restroom, they let her go. A short while later, the medical staff at University Community Hospital in Carrollwood found that she had delivered a 6-pound baby girl into the toilet. Lumley didn’t even know she was pregnant, an attorney says. But Harold “Tripp” Sebring III claims the medical staff should have. Because it missed obvious signs of labor, he says, Lumley’s baby almost drowned. Sebring sued the hospital last month for medical malpractice, contending that baby Brianna Rose Lumley went into respiratory arrest and suffered brain damage due to treatment providers’ negligence. He wants the hospital to pay for Brianna’s lifelong medical care. Sebring is suing on the child’s behalf, not the mother’s. If he succeeds, Robin Lumley won’t get a dime. “I’m pretty upset with the mother,” he said. But more so, he’s “pretty upset with the nurses and the hospital. It is a very basic component of care.”

Please click on the link below to read the complete Sun Sentinel article:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1007-tampa-birth,0,3853158.story

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

Emergency Room Patients Often Left Confused After Visits

A vast majority of emergency room patients are discharged without understanding the treatment they received or how to care for themselves once they get home, researchers say. And that can lead to medication errors and serious complications that can send them right back to the hospital. In a new study, researchers followed 140 English-speaking patients discharged from emergency departments in two Michigan hospitals and measured their understanding in four areas — their diagnosis, their E.R. treatment, instructions for their at-home care and warning signs of when to return to the hospital. The study, published online in July by the Annals of Emergency Medicine, found that 78 percent of patients did not understand at least one area and about half did not understand two or more areas. The greatest confusion surrounded home care — instructions about things like medications, rest, wound care and when to have a follow-up visit with a doctor. “We’re finding that people are just not prepared for self-care, and that’s what is bringing them back,” said Dr. Eric Coleman, director of the Care Transitions Program at the University of Colorado, who was not involved in the study.

Please click on the link below to read the complete New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/health/16emer.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.