Many Trauma Deaths Could Be Prevented by Quicker Access to Medical Care

A recent report indicates that up to 20 percent of all people who die as a result of trauma in United States emergency rooms and hospitals could potentially be saved by better medical treatment and/or quicker access to high-quality medical treatment.
The report was conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) and has generated major media headlines across the country because it was released in the wake of the recent mass shooting at an Orlando, Florida nightclub. While the many victims of the mass shooting who managed to survive had immediate access to doctors at a major trauma care hospital located just a few blocks away from the nightclub, shooting victims in other geographical areas could potentially be at greater risk of dying. This seems to suggest that survival rates are affected by geographical proximity to hospitals and trauma care centers.
The findings of the study could have major ramifications for medical malpractice lawsuits going forward, as more and more deaths are connected to inadequate medical treatment and insufficient emergency response times from ambulances.
Whether it’s victims of car accidents, shootings, assaults or other kinds of violent incidents, the end result is not good: up to one in five people who desperately need medical treatment for traumatic injuries are dying unnecessarily, according to researchers.
For areas of the U.S. that do not have quick access to quality medical care, the researchers suggest, it might make sense to have a national healthcare system that oversees all trauma care and arranges for state and local funding of new hospitals. Dr. Donald Berwick, the chairperson of the NAS committee that conducted the recent study, highlighted the urgency of the situation and said that “the meter is running on these preventable deaths.”
For additional information, read the Yahoo.com article, “Up to 1 in 5 Trauma Deaths Could Be Prevented, Study Says.”

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury or suffered an illness as a result of negligence by a doctor, you need to talk to a qualified medical malpractice lawyer. The knowledgeable, experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Lombardi and Lombardi, P.A. can help you get the compensation you need, want and deserve for your injuries. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your case.