One of the leading causes of medical malpractice incidents throughout Illinois is unnecessary surgeries. Some studies have shown that up to 20 percent of all medical procedures are unnecessary, and every procedure creates the risk of a mistake or a complication such as an infection.
Many unnecessary procedures are the well result of a well-intentioned opinion that turns out to be a misdiagnosis. Some of these procedures however are the result of medical professionals who did not diligently seek the proper diagnosis for a patient or who simply ordered unnecessary tests to increase their income at their patients expense.
One surgeon recently had his license placed on probation by Illinois, Pennsylvania and Missouri. Authorities say that the St. Louis area doctor performed multiple medically unnecessary procedures and that he has been sued for medical malpractice more than 50 times in his career.
I think hes hurt a lot of people, said one attorney who has sued the doctor. Why do the hospitals let a guy like this on staff? Why do they let a guy like this stay on staff?
The doctors Illinois license was suspended when he failed to report that one of this patients suffered complications from a spinal surgery and failed to report this to the Missorui and Illinois medical boards.
Source: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Neurosurgeons license suspended in Illinois , Jim Doyle, May 3, 2013
Tags: medical malpractice, medical negligence