Many of us have come to notice just how many outpatient surgical clinics there are in Georgia as well as throughout the entire United States. A great number of these clinics focus on orthopedic surgeries, such as spinal fusions, correction of herniated or bulging disks, and arthroscopic surgeries for the correction of shoulder, knee, hip and many other orthopedic conditions. There are also outpatient clinics that focus on cosmetology and elective surgeries, and these too provide convenience to patients, but regardless of what type of outpatient clinic exists, there are risks that everyone should be aware of.
As the influx of outpatient surgical clinics begins to rise, injuries suffered by patients has begun to rise as well. A Connecticut family knows all too well just how risky outpatient surgical clinics are, and family members are now seeking to hold an outpatient surgical clinic responsible for the death of their father. About two years ago, a Connecticut man sought treatment at an outpatient surgical clinic, and underwent an anterior discectomy and fusion to correct a spinal condition. This man did not walk out alive. Instead, according to a local report, he suffered a fate that his family believes was caused by medical negligence at the outpatient surgical center. It is thought that the cause of death may have been related to the improper administration of anesthesia.
Is the Medical Industry Moving Too Quickly?
Anesthesia is an essential element of many surgeries, whether the anesthesia is general or localized. When you think of surgery, you may visualize a traditional hospital more than anything else, as a hospital has the necessary equipment and medical staff to address a complication that can occur during a procedure. Outpatient surgical clinics may not be equipped to address complications in the same way. While outpatient surgical clinics may have state of the art equipment, they typically do not have the same resources as traditional hospitals, which could place patients at risk if a complication occurred during a procedure.
While anesthesia has played a key role in many unfortunate injuries and deaths in outpatient surgical clinics, there are other aspects of a patient’s care that can place that patient in harm’s way. For example, a surgeon may operate on the wrong leg, misread a medical record, or administer the wrong medication, among many other errors. These acts of medical negligence are not necessarily unique to outpatient surgical centers, as such conduct can occur at any traditional hospital. Further, it should also be noted that most outpatient surgical centers provide quality care and do not endanger patients’ lives.
However, because there have been so many injuries and deaths associated with care received in an outpatient surgical clinic, there is good reason to question how safe these facilities are and whether or not the medical industry is simply moving too fast. We can only hope that these facilities begin to react in a positive way to all of the deaths and injuries that have occurred, as injured victims do not deserve to suffer at the expense of negligent conduct.
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Source:
http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Suit-raises-concern-about-outpatient-clinics-6212049.php