According to a recently published article in Health Affairs, Americans are seeing their general practitioners less and less, and going straight to the hospital as their first point of treatment more and more often. Less than half of the visits in this nation are made to the patient's personal doctor, while an enormous number are going straight to emergency rooms, seeing specialists, or outpatient care departments as their first point of call for treatment for new health problems or chronic conditions.
In terms of potential medical malpractice, this is not good news for the nation's often understaffed and extremely busy emergency rooms. The following statistics are a recipe for disaster: fewer than 5% of American doctors are emergency physicians; they handle over 28% of all acute care episodes; and over 50% of acute care visits by the under- and uninsured are handled by emergency physicians. This study was conducted from 2001 through the end of 2004.
Overcrowded and chaotic conditions in an ER produce a significant amount of medical malpractice cases. If you or a loved one has been victimized by medical malpractice--whether it occurs in an emergency room, a doctor's office, or a hospital--contact The Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel and Associates for a free case evaluation. Call us at 800/541-9376 or visit us online at www.medicalmalpracticedoctorlawyer.com.
