Common examples of hospital negligence based on recent data from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority include:
- Errors related to procedures, treatments, or tests
- Medication errors
- Patient falls
- Complications from tests and procedures
You can spot hospital negligence by paying attention to warning signs. For procedure, treatment, or test errors, notice if instructions aren’t followed, results are delayed, or the wrong procedure is performed. Medication mistakes can appear as unexpected side effects, doses that don’t match your prescriptions, or unclear labeling. Patient falls or injuries that happen in unsafe environments, and complications that seem unusual or preventable, are red flags of hospital system failures.
If you were injured due to hospital negligence, our hospital error attorneys in Harrisburg can assess whether the hospital’s policies, procedures, or management failures, rather than a staff member’s mistake, led to your injury.
Errors Related to Procedures, Treatments, or Tests
This is consistently the most frequently reported event type in PA hospitals. It includes diagnostic delays, failure to follow treatment protocols, and testing errors. You can spot this type of negligence if:
- Test results are delayed without explanation
- Providers give conflicting diagnoses
- Abnormal lab findings are not addressed
- Your or your family’s concerns are not documented
For instance, if a patient presents with stroke symptoms and imaging is delayed without a medical reason, they can suffer permanent complications. When abnormal findings sit in the chart without a proper follow-up, institutional oversight becomes a serious issue.
Medication Errors
Medication-related events remain among the most common causes of hospital negligence. These include giving patients the wrong dosage or wrong drug, incorrect timing, or failure to monitor the side effects. Warning signs typically include:
- Sudden decline after taking medication
- Dosage changes without explanation
- Duplicate medication entries in the chart
- Staff uncertainty about what was given
If a hospitalized patient receives double doses of a blood thinner due to poor shift communication, for instance, that can indicate a breakdown in medication safety systems rather than a single mistake.
Patient Falls in Harrisburg Hospitals
Hospitals are lawfully required to regularly assess fall risk and implement precautions such as supervision, bed alarms, or mobility assistance. However, falls are still common among older and high-risk patients in Harrisburg hospitals. You may spot falls due to negligence if:
- A high-risk patient is left unattended
- Call buttons go unanswered
- Bed alarms aren’t always activated
- There’s a history of falls in the same unit
If a patient fractures a hip after attempting to use the restroom without assistance despite being labeled a fall risk, this incident can signal serious issues with staffing and supervision policies.
Complications from Procedures or Treatments
Complications don’t always result from negligence. However, complications become legally significant when hospital staff ignore warning signs or don’t follow safety protocols. Red flags can include:
- Delayed response to infection symptoms
- Failure to monitor vital signs after surgery
- Lack of escalation when a patient deteriorates
For instance, a post-surgical infection linked to improper sterilization procedures can indicate systemic failure rather than unavoidable risk.
When It’s Not Hospital Negligence
Hospital errors aren’t always negligence. For instance, you may have an unavoidable complication during surgery, a rare reaction to medication, or a side effect from a proper treatment plan. Some illnesses progress despite proper care due to underlying health conditions, and diagnostic tests can sometimes be inconclusive. These situations typically fall outside the scope of negligence claims.
Negligence requires proof that the hospital violated a duty of care and that the violation resulted in your injury. Pennsylvania recognizes hospital corporate negligence when systemic failures occur, but courts also require evidence that care fell below accepted standards. (See Thompson v. Nason Hospital, 591 A.2d 703 (Pa. 1991).
Distinguishing a preventable harm from an unavoidable risk will require a hospital error attorney in Harrisburg who can evaluate the facts of your case, investigate hospital procedures, and decide whether you can hold the hospital or another party responsible for your compensation.
Let Our Hospital Error Lawyers in Harrisburg Handle Your Negligence Claim
If you believe that hospital negligence caused your injury, book your free consultation with our Harrisburg medical malpractice attorneys at Marzella & Associates online or at 717-876-8681.