Superbugs threaten patient safety, pose malpractice concerns

Superbugs are dangerous germs that appear to be largely resistant to antibiotics and other approaches to kill the bacteria. These bacteria can be especially troublesome for hospitals. According to a recent report, 1 in 20 people contract infections from hospitals, which could be a form of medical malpractice in New York City. These are infections that they didn’t have before they entered the hospital.

Despite efforts to sterilize equipment and disinfect surfaces, the superbugs in hospitals can be contracted by patients, and might be difficult to treat. An increase in infection rates of patients staying in hospitals has caused many to call for advanced sterilization methods. Some insurers and Medicare have stopped paying for expenses related to certain hospital acquired infections.

When a person goes into a hospital, they expect a clean and sterile environment. Almost everyone understands that clean environments, such as hospitals are meant to help prevent infections. Instead hospital infections might be responsible for approximately 100,000 deaths each year.

Patients should understand their rights if they are infected with bacteria when they are in a hospital. If the medical staff at the hospital aren’t taking proper precautions to prevent the spread of disease, the hospital should be held accountable for any illness related expenses that shouldn’t have occurred during the course of the patient’s stay.

Sometimes hospitals say that there are risks with every surgery. However proper sanitation and infection prevention procedures and policies should be followed in order to reduce the likelihood of these infections. An experienced personal injury attorney can help patients in New York City if they are affected by medical malpractice.

Source: USA Today, “Hospitals see surge of superbug-fighting products,” April 29, 2013