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Though posttraumatic stress disorder is most commonly associated with military combat or violent assault, motor vehicle accidents are actually the leading cause of PTSD development in Americans.[1] With over one percent of Americans experiencing a serious motor vehicle accident (MVA) annually, MVAs account for over three million injuries and over 100 billion dollars in damage […]

Until the 1970s, it was practically unheard of to have a surgical procedure outside of a hospital. However, health care facilities that offer patients a more convenient, affordable method of care grew in popularity in the form of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs). Each year, more than 23 million procedures are performed by physicians in these

Unexpected Complications: The Phenomenon of Healthcare-Associated Infections Part III: Nationwide Prevention Methods   Throughout most of the twentieth century, healthcare-associated infections were considered an inevitable risk of hospitalization. Now, however, it’s understood that certain prevention measures can be taken, and many agencies nationwide have been successful in minimizing HAIs due to the propagation of these

    Millions of Americans undergo surgery annually, and though the process has become significantly less risky over the past half century, concerns regarding everything from anesthetic to blood clots abound among patients. Infections are one such concern, seeing as the skin, a natural barrier to infection, is opened during surgery.[1] Though there are many

The ultimate irony is going to the hospital to be cured of an ailment and instead contracting a potentially lethal infection. Unfortunately, this is a reality for approximately one out of every 25 currently hospitalized patients in the U.S., or 650,000 patients annually.[1] Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are some of the most common complications of

Part II: Too Crowded to Operate               There’s nothing like adding more bodies in a room to making an already hectic environment nearly impossible to function in. Unfortunately, this is commonly the case in U.S. emergency departments; a study from the American Hospital Association found that 62% of hospitals feel they are at or

             Since the Death with Dignity Act passed in Oregon in 1997, 1,545 people have been given lethal prescriptions under the act, and 991 of those patients died from them.[1] While many casual proponents of the act see Death with Dignity (DWD) as a painless, immediate end to a terminal situation, from a moral, medical,

It all comes down to communication, thoroughness, and attention to detail Of doctors older than 55, 61% have been sued at least once.[1] Malpractice payouts have been climbing in recent years – reaching $3.9 billion in 2014 – and many wonder why these numbers are climbing.[2] While medical errors may be a top guess, the

Emergency! The Problems Facing the U.S.’s Most Stressful Department Part I: The Plight of the ED Nurse   Over the past decade, the CDC reports that the number of patients in emergency departments across the country has risen by 20%, yet the number of available emergency centers has fallen by 15%.[1] Already one of the

As discussed in the previous post, smartphones and tablets can be very beneficial in a medical setting. However, many valid concerns exist when it comes to regulation, effectiveness, and security on these devices. Healthcare is under strict security compliance standards, but many of these laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of