Patients Receive The Same Quality Care In July As The Rest Of The Year

Going to the hospital tends to be an unpleasant experience for most people since such a visit generally means that there is something wrong with the individual, whether it is an emergency or not. Additionally, if the patient is undergoing surgery, it can also be a frightening experience. However, most patients expect that their worries will be addressed by the competent hospital staff members.

Many people believe that if a person is admitted for care in a teaching hospital during the month of July they will receive lower quality care. This belief stems from the fact that new medical residents just arrive during this month and since they lack experience they will not provide the same quality care as doctors with more experience. However a new study shows that patients admitted in July to teaching hospitals fared the same as patients admitted in other months during the year. There was however a slightly higher rate of postoperative infection and of discharge to facilities with long-term care for patients admitted to such hospitals in July.

Researchers expected that if the “July effect” existed that it would manifest in higher-risk patients who had more illnesses and tended to have higher rates of mortality. However there was not any difference in the outcome between patients admitted in July and patients admitted during other times of the year.

Although this study shows that the level of care a patient receives is the same throughout the year, which does not mean mistakes do not happen. It is unfortunate that cases involving hospital negligence are common. Patients may suffer serious complications when they do not receive the care that they deserve. When such complications occur as a result of medical malpractice they should contact a medical malpractice attorney to protect their rights.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com . You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.