We rely on anesthesiologists to keep us comfortable and pain-free during surgery. Unfortunately, dosing errors and even the wrong medication may be administered, causing harm to a patient. Although a physician-anesthesiologist may be held responsible for their own error or that of support staff, in some circumstances, the hospital may also be held liable. Generally, a hospital may be held liable for systemic issues, poorly trained staff, or faulty equipment.
Understanding liability in surgical malpractice clarifies who may be held responsible. For guidance after a medication or dosing errors during surgery, contact our Harrisburg anesthesia errors attorneys.
Systemic Failure
Patient safety during a surgical procedure relies on adherence to proper protocols. This cannot occur when a hospital is short-staffed. A physician anesthesiologist must be present during induction (putting a patient to sleep prior to surgery), emergence (waking the patient up post-surgery), and in the event of an emergency. A hospital may be found liable if a patient is harmed because a physician or an anesthesiologist is unavailable during surgery.
Systemic failure can also result from poor communication, leading to devastating outcomes. Sadly, poor communication is responsible for 70% of anesthesia mistakes. Given that a patient’s vitals are constantly changing under anesthesia, the care team must stay in constant touch.
Adequate communication between healthcare workers does not just pertain to inside the operating room. Staff communication is essential during patient handoffs as well. A handoff occurs whenever there is a staff shift change, such as when day staff comes in to relieve night staff. It is up to hospital administration to ensure that proper protocols are in place so that an anesthesiologist (or any member of the care team) is provided crucial information during handoffs.
Poorly Trained Staff
Anesthesia administration is based on a care team model. This model does not work unless the entire staff is properly trained. It is the medical institution’s responsibility to hire qualified staff and to train them. Failure to provide adequate training to any member of the anesthesia care team could result in poor medical practices. For example, staff should be trained to perform equipment checks to ensure it is functioning properly.
Faulty Equipment
Despite proper maintenance and checks, equipment can malfunction. Manufacturers do put out warnings about device risks and recalls. Unfortunately, a device that appears to be in good condition can stop working during a critical procedure. When it happens during surgery, it can have lethal consequences.
Examples of equipment used by anesthesiologists include anesthesia machines, ventilators, and patient monitoring equipment. Generally, the hospital will be found liable if the equipment malfunction is due to improperly trained staff, improper maintenance, or the hospital’s use of a recalled or dangerous device. If the equipment malfunctions and all preventable measures were employed, then the manufacturer will be found liable.
Either way, when equipment malfunctions, the hospital administrator is responsible for reporting the defect to the manufacturer. A medical institution that fails to report a device defect places other patients’ lives at risk.
Reach Out to Our Harrisburg Anesthesia Error Lawyers
Most of us undergo surgery because we have run out of other options to improve our health. While you may have taken all the necessary steps to manage your health, an error during surgery could lead to unexpected complications. At Marzella & Associates, our Harrisburg anesthesia error attorneys know what errors to look for when pinpointing an anesthesiologist’s blunder. To get started, contact us online or by phone at (717) 876-8681 to schedule your free consultation.