How Often Medical Malpractice Impacts the Average American?

Medical errors cause more than 250,000 fatalities every year. Medical errors account for one in 10 deaths in the U.S. each year, making medical malpractice a leading cause of death. It’s the third most common cause of death in the United States. Medical malpractice occurs every day in hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, and other care facilities throughout the country.

The most common causes of hospital admissions in Michigan are:

• Heart disease;
• Injuries and poisoning;
• Childbirth, and neonatal issues;
• Septicemia; and
• Illness related to COVID-19.

With these types of figures, it’s not difficult to see that medical malpractice is not a rare occurrence and affects many Americans.

Medical Malpractice Statistics

• In a healthcare provider’s career, one in three can expect to be sued for medical malpractice.
• Healthcare providers commit avoidable errors in 3-15% of all medical interventions.
• Misdiagnosis is one of the most common types of malpractice, and cancer, infections, and vascular events are most likely to be misdiagnosed.
• Prescription errors are also common, with insulin and morphine two of the most error-prone medications prescribed.
• Surgeons are most likely to be sued for malpractice.
• Roughly 97% of successful medical malpractice claims are settled out of court.

In addition, statistics show that there are inequities in the quality of care by race, age, gender, and location in the U.S. Some specific examples include:

• Older women (40+) are most likely to initiate a medical malpractice action.
• White patients are more likely than Black patients to report a medical error or bring a medical malpractice claim.
• Rural patients see greater difficulties in accessing quality care than patients in urban areas.
• Male doctors are more likely than females to be sued for medical malpractice (42 claims per 100 female physicians in contrast to 75 claims per 100 male physicians).

What are the Specifics for Malpractice Claims in Michigan?

The most recent data shows that Michigan had a total of 150 medical malpractice claims annually with a total payout of $38,809,500. The average payout was $258,730. In Michigan, cases related to obstetrics (birth injuries) tend to have the highest average payouts when adjusted for inflation. The most common types of negligence claimed in these cases include:

• General negligence during labor and delivery;
• Not performing sufficient fetal monitoring to identify fetal distress;
• Not giving adequate medications to the mother and/or the child; and
• Not recognizing an emergency or failing to act promptly to prevent harm.

Malpractice claims concerning anesthesia are also high on the list. Next are failure to diagnosis, misdiagnosis, errors during surgical procedures, and issues with IVs and blood transfusions.

As one might expect, in Michigan, medical malpractice actions were primarily brought against physicians (both MDs and DOs), rather than other types of healthcare professionals.

Patient Readmission is also an Alarming Statistic

A hospital readmission is when a patient who’s discharged from the hospital is readmitted within a specified time frame. The Medicare definition of 30 days is the most common.

Frequent hospital readmissions can emotionally drain patients and their loved ones, with added stress, uncertainty, and disruption. Physically, patients may face complications related to their health conditions or treatments. Moreover, multiple readmissions can erode patients’ trust in the healthcare system. Patients who must return for care may question the quality of the treatment they initially received.

Hospital readmissions often mean additional out-of-pocket expenses for patients, such as copays and deductibles that accumulate with each admission.

Michigan ranked 20^th in the country in the latest figures for rate of hospital readmissions. Michigan patients are readmitted to hospitals at a rate of about 16 per 1,000 patients. That’s about the same rate as the nationwide average.

Speak with an Experienced Michigan Medical Malpractice Attorney

You need an experienced medical malpractice attorney to have the best chance of a successful outcome in your medical malpractice case.

Our firm proudly serves people all across Michigan, including major cities like Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, Lansing, Holland, St. Joe, and Ann Arbor, and rural towns such as Lowell, Ada, Fremont, Newaygo, Grand Haven, Rockford, and Cedar Springs. We will meet you after hours, at home, or in the hospital to accommodate you.

Contact us today.