What is Overdiagnosis?

What is overdiagnosis, and how would you even know if you have been overdiagnosed? Overdiagnosis is a relatively new term used in the medical community, and it does not refer to a misdiagnosis or a delayed diagnosis. A misdiagnosis is a wrong diagnosis. For example, diagnosing an individual with cancer when they only have a… read more

How Must Medical Treatment Meet a Standard of Care?

When you receive care from a medical professional, you expect to receive the best possible care from whichever providers you visit. The medical standard of care is the guiding force for medical treatment throughout this country and applies to virtually all medical settings. Here, we want to define the standard of care, examine some ways… read more

Can a Doctor Refuse to Treat a Patient?

Doctors can refuse to treat a patient. Even though doctors are generally required to treat individuals who need immediate care, physicians can absolutely ethically refuse to treat patients in certain circumstances. However, there are strict limitations on ending a doctor-patient relationship after the “contract” of care has been formed. If these conditions are not met,… read more

Identifying Patient Abandonment in Healthcare

Medical providers must maintain a certain standard of care, and the standard is fairly universal throughout every medical profession in the US. Abandoning a patient will almost always mean that a medical professional violated the standard of care to the patient, potentially resulting in a Portland medical malpractice lawsuit. But what exactly does patient abandonment… read more

What are the Different Types of Intracranial Hemorrhages?

Intracranial hemorrhages or brain bleeds may occur in varying locations of the brain, resulting in health complications throughout life. While an intracranial hemorrhage can occur naturally, it may be the result of medical negligence during childbirth or another trauma resulting from a personal injury. The extent of these injuries may not be well known until… read more

What is a Sentinel Event?

Any event resulting in permanent harm, severe or temporary harm, or death to a patient is defined as a sentinel event by The Joint Commission. These events are incapacitating not only to the patient but to the health care providers responsible for a patient’s well-being. The term sentinel is used to identify an issue within… read more

Why do Intracranial Hemorrhages Occur During Childbirth?

Delivering a newborn is a natural process that may require modern technology to facilitate birth. Complicated pregnancies may lead to the use of birthing assistance tools to move the infant through the birth canal and speed delivery. While most birth processes occur without incident, birth injuries are unexpected events that may threaten the health of… read more

What is the Recovery Process of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy?

Recovery from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a type of brain injury that occurs due to limited oxygen to the brain for a period of time, is dependent on numerous factors. The condition, often called HIE, is the result of an interruption of oxygen moving through the brain and ischemia, a type of restriction on blood flow. Where… read more

How Do Spinal Cord Injuries Occur at Birth?

Spinal cord injuries occur due to some type of trauma that damages the spinal cord during the birthing process. The spinal cord, which is a nerve highway that carries messages from each area of the body to the brain, suffers a disruption of some type due to the trauma. When this happens, there is a… read more

What is Newborn Cephalohematoma?

Cephalohematoma results from pressure or trauma to a newborn’s head mostly during vaginal delivery. Small blood vessels in the scalp rupture or are damaged, causing blood to pool below the scalp but outside the skull. An infant’s brain is generally protected from pressure or damage because of the location of the cephalohematoma. It may take… read more