Detroit Medical Center (DMC) Detroit Receiving Hospital was cited by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in October for nearly 40 deficiencies in infection control practices and patient rights. Barely a month later, state quality inspectors are back at the hospital to complete a full survey of the facility. Similar problems have occurred at DMC Harper University Hospital. Any breach in standard of medical care can be considered negligence and medical malpractice, and it can lead to fatal errors.
Horrifying Citations of Negligence at DMC Hospitals
Patients, understandably, take for granted that the medical facility they entrust with their care is following the legal standard of care. Sick or hurt patients and their loved ones must worry about the issue at hand. No one should ever have to think about whether their hospital is properly sterilizing instruments or exposing them to health risks beyond what they’re already suffering.
The deficiencies at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital included the following:
- Unauthorized restriction of nonviolent patients.
- Poor evaluation of patients with surgical-site infections.
- Exposure to infectious agents.
- Contaminated instruments.
- Staff not following proper hand hygiene and glove use.
Any one of these deplorable conditions is horrifying. Taken together, the situation is criminal. Should CMS, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, determine that DMC is noncompliant in rendering adequate care and ensuring the health and safety of their patients and should be disciplined, their only recourse is to terminate DMC from the Medicare program. While rare, should this determination be made, the consequences could be financially catastrophic for the hospital. That is neither here nor there for patients, however, who deserve only the highest standard of care. When it is public knowledge that a hospital is providing substandard care, those natural consequences will follow.
The Basics of Safeguarding Patients
DMC has submitted a letter to healthcare inspectors identifying how they plan to correct the cited deficiencies in patient rights and infection control. But why did these problems occur in the first place at a nationally ranked hospital?
Shouldn’t staff who are handling patients and patient supplies already know and follow proper sterilization techniques, hand washing, and use of gloves?
Shouldn’t there already be an oversight committee in place to ensure that cases of surgical site infections are carefully and thoroughly investigated?
Shouldn’t staff know that surgical instrument trays are not to be opened early?
Shouldn’t hospital staff know what constitutes a health code violation?
Shouldn’t hospitals have the highest level of sterilization processing possible?
The most important question is: How many patients have suffered because of medical negligence at DMC? If you have been a victim of medical malpractice at a DMC facility or elsewhere, contact the medical negligence lawyers at Thurswell Law for a free consultation. You have the right to compensation for your pain and suffering. We do not charge any fees unless you collect. Call (248) 354-2222 today to schedule your consultation.
