WhiteCoat here again. More medical news from around the internet brought to you courtesy of ER Stories. See more at my blog if you’re interested.
I thought he was a piece of steak! Man opens door to his hotel room and is beaten with bottle of Worcestershire sauce, then “tenderized” with a fire extinguisher. Ends up in the ED and then admitted to the hospital for “curing”.
The big get bigger. LA County spends $322 million to replace Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s emergency department.
Man sues law firm for malpractice after law firm dismisses his medical malpractice complaint and he is not permitted to re-file it.
The man initially alleged that a surgeon missed diagnosing an anal fistula and also damaged his anal sphincter. The things that struck me odd were all the allegations of damages in the complaint, to wit: “Because of the incident, [the patient] claims he became sick, sore, lame and disordered; experienced fecal incontinence, pain, suffering, disfigurement, disability and a loss of his enjoyment of life; and incurred medical costs.” Wow. Remind me never to have my hemorrhoids out if this can happen.
This news article notes that more and more uninsured and underinsured are going to emergency departments because they don’t have any other choice for medical care.
Increasing numbers of people on state assistance for medical care are having their benefits cut. Utah cuts stipend to poor and disabled that patients were using to help cover their medical costs. If patients get subsidies for purchasing insurance in the current health care plan, I foresee the same thing happening to federal subsidies once the plan is in place.
Utah also passes Senate bill to cap medical malpractice awards for pain and suffering at $450,000. Part of the legislation is a “stand down” agreement to create a 4 year moratorium on any further tort reform efforts. Four years. Isn’t that the length of an election cycle?
Speaking about medical malpractice caps, Illinois lawmakers plan their next move after medical malpractice caps were shot down in that state.
I wonder if the condiment assailant also beats people with Magi Seasoning?