Research shows that children who have chronic health conditions are more likely to be victims of hospital errors than those who are basically healthy. According to a report published in a medical journal, the medical error rate for children with chronic conditions was 5.3 percent, as opposed to 1.3 percent in children without chronic conditions.
At least 43 percent of children in the United States have some form of chronic health problem, including asthma, diabetes, or even cancer. This means that the higher medical error rate could impact nearly half the country’s juvenile population.
One simple explanation for this statistic may be that children with chronic conditions are far more likely to visit a hospital and therefore have a greater chance of exposure to medical errors. The higher rate may also be due to the fact that children with chronic conditions must often undergo much more complicated and dangerous medical procedures, such as blood transfusions or surgery. However, even when factoring in for the complexity of medical care, children with chronic health conditions still have a statistically greater chance of being the victim of a hospital error and therefore suffering injury as a result of their health condition.
A personal injury lawyer represents the victims of hospital errors in their attempts to collect damages from a healthcare facility after poor or negligent treatment has resulted in an injury. Families of children with chronic health conditions may want to consult an attorney if they feel the hospital has been negligent in treating their child.
Source: Clinical Advisor, “Medical errors more common among children with chronic conditions,” Anne W. Latner, Oct. 16, 2012