Staying Well

What information do you need to know before pursuing a medical malpractice suit?Medical malpractice is professional negligence by a healthcare provider. It occurs when a specific treatment provided falls below accepted standards of practice in the medical community and results in an injury or death in the patient receiving the treatment.It is often seen in outpatient care centers.These centers can seem appealing for certain procedures, since they can offer benefits of convenience and affordability. However, some outpatient centers may not have the proper equipment or staff on standby, ready to deal with an emergency.According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the United States.Joan Rivers, 81, went into cardiac and respiratory arrest at an outpatient surgery clinic in Manhattan during an elective vocal cord procedure and was then rushed six minutes across town to Mount Sinai Hospital for emergency care. She died one week later.