Medical Transcription Errors Can be Fatal

There are serious injuries, conditions, and loss of life associated with the failure of a medical professional to correctly write down a patient’s information. A recent case involved a patient that needed insulin to treat diabetes. The patient went to a care facility that did not have easy access to medical records and relied upon a summary that was dictated by the physician treating her at a hospital. The instructions from the physician were for 8 units, but the transcription service noted 80 units. The patient sadly was given 80 units and died from the over-medication.

When a jury got the case and listened to the evidence, they made their decision in an hour and awarded the plaintiff double the amount that was being asked for by the attorney — $140 million in damages. It could not be more important for any medical information to be correct, as it may be passed between several practitioners, and any error leads to a significant risk of injury, illness, a serious condition or death. This woman died because of a typographical error. This type of error should not occur in this country, and something effective must be done to protect patients from this risk of injury.

Connect with Welcenbach Law Offices, S.C. if you have been the victim of a transcription error or other form of medical negligence.