As such, the American Cancer Society developed guidelines for breast cancer screening - including annual mammograms beginning at age 40 - in order to detect cancerous growths early. A new study, though, challenges this recommendation.
Taking into account several factors, including the effect that a "false positive" diagnosis has on a woman's life, the study found that it was not "cost effective" for women to have yearly mammograms. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in July 2011, the study said that women should not consider just age when deciding how often to undergo mammograms. Instead, the study suggests that women look at several factors to determine their risk of developing breast cancer and then determine how frequently to undergo mammograms.
]]> The four risk factors in addition to age women should consider, according to the study, include:Speaking of the results of the study, Robert Smith, director of cancer screening for the American Cancer Society, is reported in USA Today as saying that these risk factors "boost the risk of breast cancer," but there are limitations to only looking at these risk factors. He said that breast density is difficult to measure and that many women who are diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a history of breast cancer in their family.
Do not alter the frequency of your breast cancer screenings without first discussing the decision with your doctor. Increasing the time between mammograms could lead to a delay in diagnosing breast cancer and lower the chances of successfully treating that cancer.
]]>Dr. Donald Berwick, steward of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, has been fighting to improve efficiency and reduce errors at hospitals across the country and in Illinois. Berwick has looked outside of the medical field to find innovative ways to reduce errors. One simple change that has been effective is a quiet zone where nurses are able to place medication orders without interruption.
]]> Systemic Changes
Berwick has been pushing for systemic change and has taken pointers from the aviation industry. According to the L.A. Times, an average traveler today has a 1 in a 20 million chance of dying in an accident, yet 1 in 7 Medicare patients is injured while in the hospital.
One way that Federal Aviation Administration cut accidents was through a rule that prohibited nonessential conversation in the cockpit when pilots were taking off and landing.
Systems engineering, a blend of science and psychology, has been credited with making air travel safer. The medical field has been slow to recognize the interconnectedness of medical care. Hospitals must identify why errors occur and work to prevent them. Systems engineering is ideally suited to this process.
Berwick described one instance of a breakdown in the system when two drugs were packaged in similar brown bottles with striped labels. Nurses would mistake the two drugs with lethal consequence.
While Berwick continues to look for ways to improve the quality of care at hospitals across the nation, he is concerned that federal cost cutting will ignore the slower process of improving quality to reduce costs. Federal funds must be invested in programs that improve quality as well as efficiency.
]]>According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving accounted for approximately nine percent of all highway fatalities in the U.S. in 2010. In the same time period, 31 percent of traffic fatalities were linked to alcohol.
]]> The recent report confirmed that traffic fatalities in the U.S. dropped to their lowest point since 1949 in 2010, even though Americans are driving more frequently. And even though the rate of fatal crashes has dropped, thousands of people lose their lives on our nation's highways each year. In 2010, 32,885 people died in motor vehicle crashes.Although the NHTSA study indicates that alcohol use is still a bigger threat on the road than the use of handheld electronic devices, both practices are, in fact, deadly.
An Attorney Can Help
If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.
]]>The Dangers Facing Chicago Pedestrians
Approximately 3,000 accidents between vehicles and pedestrians occur each year in Chicago.
The vast majority of Chicago pedestrian accidents occurred at intersections, according to a recent National Highway Transportation Safety Administration study commissioned by the Chicago Department of Transportation. The accidents usually happened to people who were crossing with the light; this may be contrary to instinct for some, who would assume that pedestrians would be safest at these times.
Although the chief danger arises from cars that are turning at intersections, pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere in Chicago. Hit-and-run accidents are common, with two per day that cause injuries or death. Rates of accidents involving taxis are very high in the central business district.
]]> Chicago's Plan for Pedestrian SafetyBecause failure to yield is the top cause of Chicago pedestrian accidents, police will step up enforcement of the state law requiring vehicles to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Chicago will also improve traffic-safety technology. The city plans to install pedestrian countdown clocks in all of its nearly 3,000 intersections. It will use Leading Pedestrian Interval devices, which allow pedestrians extra time to start walking before the light turns green.
Remedies for People Injured By Negligent Drivers
Pedestrians who are struck by vehicles can suffer serious injuries or death. This means medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
An experienced attorney can assist the injured pedestrian or family members in seeking compensation. A Chicago pedestrian accident attorney will pursue compensation from the driver and the driver's insurance company to pay for the victim's damages.
]]>The Chicago Tribune (8/10, Twohey) reports that the legislation "passed this year as a stand-alone bill after a Tribune series found that state regulators allowed dangerous doctors, even those convicted of sex crimes, to continue practicing," and that "patients were often unaware of the physicians' criminal convictions, malpractice or terminations." As a result of the new law, "the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will be required to post the doctor profiles on its website, idfpr.com," in the next two months. "The profiles also will include medical schools attended, specialty board certification, number of years in practice and locations, and whether the physician participates in the Medicaid program, among other details."
Information about physicians, whether it is good or bad news, is useful and necessary for all patients when selecting their physician.
]]>The Facts of Williamson
In 2002, Thanh Williamson was traveling with her family in their 1993 Mazda van when another driver struck them head-on. Delbert and Alexa Williamson, both of whom were wearing lap-and-shoulder belts, survived. Unfortunately, Thanh, who was sitting in a rear aisle seat, was only wearing a lap belt and she died in the accident.
The Williamson family sued Mazda in California, claiming that Mazda should have installed lap-and-shoulder belts in the van's rear aisle seats. The California court dismissed the suit, finding that federal regulations allowed the installation of either lap-and-shoulder or lap-only seat belts. Mazda was, therefore, allowed to choose which belts to install in its vans and this choice preempted the Williamsons' lawsuit. The decision was upheld by the California Court of Appeal.
]]> The Court's DecisionThe Supreme Court reversed the California decision, finding that the federal regulatory scheme did not preempt the state law claim. Unlike earlier cases, where the Court found that federal regulations which gave auto manufacturers the choice of installing air bags or other safety systems did, in fact, preempt state law claims, the Court held that the regulations here provided no such choice. The Court did not decide whether Mazda was at fault for installing lap-only seat belts, but its decision means that lawsuits over the issue can continue.
Contact an Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for your injuries you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.
]]>Although Illinois law sets out minimum levels of insurance coverage that drivers must secure before they can register their vehicles, it is wise to buy more coverage if it is affordable. The damage that an auto accident can cause, in terms of both people's health and property, can be significant.
]]>Remedies for People in Illinois Auto Accidents
In addition to insurance coverage, injured drivers and passengers may have other options. If another driver negligently caused the injuries, the injured parties may be able to sue for damages including medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
If an insurance company refuses to provide appropriate coverage for an accident, the insured should contact a lawyer to learn about possible legal actions.
]]>On December 27th 2010 Cabrales' father, 70 year old Raymond Veloz had gotten out of his vehicle to exchange insurance information with another driver after they had had a minor accident. According to the police report, 21 year old Beas was temporarily blinded by the sun when she struck Veloz with her vehicle.
Veloz was pronounced dead later at the hospital. Beas received a ticket for failing to avoid striking a pedestrian. Cabrales' lawyer commented that he needed to analyze the timing mechanisms in both cell phones to prove his client's allegations.
]]> Distracted Driving In IllinoisIn 2010, the Illinois State Police pulled over 7,800 drivers for cell phone and texting violations, resulting in nearly 1,000 tickets. In 2009 cell phone distractions were the primary or secondary cause of almost 1,300 crashes, more than a 9% increase from 2008.
Illinois prohibited texting, emailing or browsing the internet while driving January 1st of last year. To celebrate the one year anniversary of the legislation, the state launched the "Drive Now. Text Later." campaign January 1st 2011.
The goal of the campaign is to educate Illinois citizens about the dangers of texting while driving and to notify the public that it is illegal to do so. A poll of Illinois Tollway customers found that 40 percent did not know that it was illegal to text or email while driving.
Illinois has also banned all cell phone use (hand-free or otherwise) for drivers under age 19 and for all drivers in school zones and construction or maintenance zones. In Chicago, drivers may only use hands-free cell phone devices.
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one to a distracted driver with a cell phone, contact an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. An experienced attorney can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve.
]]>These dangerous products contain a designer or synthetic drug, mephedrone or MDPV. It's an amphetamine. It's a central nervous system stimulant, so it will increase your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, can cause anything from chest pain, heart attack, stroke. Those are just the physical symptoms. Some psychological (symptoms include) delusions, paranoia, psychosis. They're highly addictive and very dangerous.
They've become the latest designer drug to raise alarms, as enterprising chemists find ways to stay a step ahead of drug laws. Poison control centers around the country fielded 235 calls relating to the "bath salts" last year, and already have seen 214 cases this year, according to the American Assn. of Poison Control Centers.
These dangerous products can spur self-destructive 'highs' but are legal in most states, and can even be sold to minors. The products have been linked to overdoses or drug-induced suicides, not to mention hospitalizations, and investigators recently confirmed the presence of bath salt drugs in the blood of a man who killed a sheriff's deputy in Tippah County, Miss., ABC News reported.
If you have lost a loved one as a result of these dangerous drugs, a personal injury attorney will be able to provide you with important information during this emotional time.
]]>Property owners and occupants - including businesses and hotels - are responsible for the safety of their guests and visitors. When accidents happen, property owners and occupants may be liable.
]]> Who Is Responsible?Under Illinois law, the party controlling access to a property has a duty to keep the property safe for guests and visitors. In other words, determining whether a particular party has this duty is not a simple question of property ownership, but rather of actual possession and control. This means that parties such as lessees and construction contractors - any party that occupies the premises and controls access to it - may have a duty to keep a property safe for guests and visitors even though they do not own the property in question.
What Duties Do Property Owners and Occupants Owe to Guests and Visitors?
In general terms, property owners and occupants in Illinois must use reasonable care to keep the premises in a reasonably safe condition. This means that property owners and occupants must either:
If a guest or visitor suffers injury because a property owner or occupant fails to properly exercise this duty, then the injured guest or visitor may be entitled to compensation for his or her injuries.
Contact Experienced Counsel
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury on someone else's property, contact a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer. An attorney experienced in premises liability claims can assess your case and help you receive the compensation you deserve.
]]>Doctors often overlook social or economic circumstances when interacting with patients. These "contextual" issues are often relevant to the patient's medical condition and not recognizing the red flags can lead to medical errors such as misdiagnosis or an incorrect prescription.
]]> Medical ErrorsA report by the Institute of Medicine in 1999 found medical errors to be responsible for 45,000 to 98,000 deaths of Americans each year. Medical errors in hospitals are the eighth leading cause of death in the United States and those deaths that occur in hospitals cost the U.S. about $37.6 billion each year.
In 1999, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy estimated 2.4 million prescriptions were filled incorrectly in Massachusetts alone.
The Basics of the Medical Care Study
Dr. Weiner is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois and a practicing physician at Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center. He is one of the doctors involved in a new study investigating contextual errors published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
A group of actors posing as patients were sent to the offices of 111 physicians with carefully scripted lines. Four different scripts were used, one which hinted at a contextual complication, one which included a biomedical complication from a physical condition, another with both kinds of complications and a script with no alleged complications.
The study found that error-free care was given in only 22 percent of contextually complicated cases. Error-free care was given to 38 percent of cases with only biomedical complications.
Recognizing Contextual Issues
Some physicians claim that time restraints prevent them from being more thorough and asking questions of their patients. Others claim that they aren't properly trained in how to approach or help patients with social or economic problems.
Dr. Weiner recommends physicians receive better training in recognizing contextual issues and their effects on a patient's medical condition. He also recommends physicians to speak simply and listen carefully when interacting with patients to give the most complete medical care possible. The University of Illinois Medical School is creating a training program for students on avoiding contextual errors.
Related Resource: LA Times " 'Mystery Patients' Uncover Medical Errors"
Over eight million Toyota vehicles have been recalled due to complaints of unintended acceleration in multiple models and faulty brake systems in the Prius hybrid. Toyota claims that faulty floor mats and sticky acceleration pedals are responsible for the problems. Some plaintiffs also claim that the electronic throttle control system is faulty in some models. Toyota denies this claim.
]]> Phase one of the discovery plan is an exchange of information. The plaintiffs' attorneys and Toyota will exchange documents and depositions. This cooperation will prevent a battle over access to evidence. The consolidation of the federal cases will also speed up litigation by eliminating the need for witnesses to be questioned multiple times in different courts. Phase one of the discovery plan will last for 100 days for both parties.Information involved in the exchange include Toyota's customer complaints, internal studies of unintended acceleration, the whereabouts of electronic data recorders in Toyota vehicles and Toyota's advertising, sales and public relations materials. Toyota has already given over 200,000 pages of documents to federal and state authorities.
The plaintiffs' lawyers have asked to take depositions from witnesses in 21 different categories such as Toyota's design and testing processes. The plaintiffs' lawyers have agreed to give Toyota's lawyers fact sheets concerning their clients for review.
Toyota has issued the following statement concerning the discovery plan:
"We are pleased that the court has approved the agreement we reached with plaintiffs' counsel that establishes an equitable discovery process for this complex litigation. Both sides have worked hard to sculpt a discovery schedule that will provide the plaintiffs with relevant information to evaluate the technology involved."
The next court date is set for September 20.
Related Resource: Law.com "Federal Judge Approves Discovery Agreement in Toyota MDL"
]]>In 2006, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization released a study which estimated that 90,000 women that received a diagnosis of D.C.I.S. or invasive breast cancer did not have the disease or received incorrect treatment.
]]> In 2002, a study by doctors at Northwestern University Medical Center reviewed 340 cases of breast cancer and D.C.I.S. and found 7.8% of the cases had diagnostic errors significant enough to alter treatment plans.D.C.I.S. Is Often Over-Treated
Since the 1980's, mammograms have become more common and women over age 40 have, until recently, been recommended to have a mammogram every year. Many consider D.C.I.S. as over-diagnosed and over-treated, sometimes with unnecessary surgeries and harmful radiation. D.C.I.S. is diagnosed in more than 50,000 women each year in the U.S.
When diagnosing breast cancer, a pathologist takes a thin sample of breast tissue and inspects the cells for signs of cancer under a microscope. D.C.I.S. lesions can sometimes be as small as a few grains of salt.
Detection of early stage breast cancer has been called a "gray zone" and can be easily confused with benign lesions. Many general pathologists with small practices don't have the experience or exposure needed to properly diagnose the disease.
The College of American Pathologists has announced their plans to offer a voluntary certification program in breast pathology. Upon completion of the program, a certified pathologist must read a minimum of 250 breast cases a year.
The rate of double mastectomy in women who had surgery for D.C.I.S. rose to 5% in 2005 from 2% in 1998. D.C.I.S. is 90% curable and mastectomies are usually not necessary unless it is large or occurs in multiple places.
Women that receive a diagnosis of D.C.I.S. are cautioned not to make any immediate plans for surgery or chemotherapy. Getting second opinions from large hospitals with experienced pathologists is strongly recommended.
Related Resouce: NY Times "Prone to Error: Earliest Steps to Find Cancer"
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While a fever during maternity sometimes triggers abnormal brain development, the delivery process also poses cerebral palsy risks. If a baby is stuck in the birth canal with no oxygen supply or a baby is born more than 24 hours after the mother's water broke, the child could have lasting brain damage.
The most common symptoms of palsy appear in children under three as they are beginning to move and learn motor skills. Symptoms include: inadequate muscle coordination, stiff muscles and exaggerated reflex responses, awkward gait or walking with one foot dragging, and weak muscle tone.
Doctors can run reflex tests and other motor skills tests, as well as check posture and muscle development, to more accurately diagnose cerebral palsy. CT scans and MRIs can also detect some cases of cerebral palsy disorders.
While cerebral palsy can't be cured, treatments can help improve a child's condition. Possible treatments include physical, occupational and speech therapy; medications; surgery; and braces or other assistive devices. These treatments can be costly. If doctors and hospital staff are to blame for a birth injury that caused cerebral palsy, parents may be able to seek damages to cover past and future treatments for the disorder.
In Illinois, parents have until up to two years after the child's eighteenth birthday to sue for medical malpractice stemming from a birth injury and possibly longer if the child is considered disabled. For example, an Illinois hospital and doctor recently agreed to settle a medical malpractice claim for $9.5 million. The hospital was accused of negligence in allowing a boy, who is now 14, to be deprived of oxygen for 15 minutes during birth. Many birth injury cases can be difficult to prove so parents may want to seek legal advice about their options as soon as they receive a definitive diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
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