Mismanagement of Preoperative Care

Preoperative care is a crucial phase in the surgical process that aims to ensure a patient can safely undergo an operation. If the doctors and nurses administering such care do not perform their duties properly, however, it can lead to surgical complications, delayed recovery, and other significant harm, and may be grounds for asserting medical malpractice claims. If you or a loved one were hurt by the mismanagement of preoperative care, it is in your best interest to confer with an attorney to evaluate what claims you may be able to pursue. The seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers of Arfaa Law Group understand what it takes to demonstrate that reckless healthcare providers should be held accountable for the harm they cause, and if you engage our services, we will fight to help you seek justice.

Preoperative care refers to the medical and nursing activities and preparations that take place before a surgical procedure. Preoperative care encompasses a range of tasks, including obtaining informed consent, evaluating a patient’s medical history, conducting diagnostic tests, and ensuring the patient's overall health is optimized for surgery. Preoperative care aims to identify and mitigate any potential risks or complications, such as allergies, infections, or underlying health conditions, that could affect the surgery's success or the patient's postoperative well-being.

Mismanagement of preoperative care can include failing to obtain a comprehensive medical history, leading to the risk of complications during surgery due to overlooked allergies or underlying health conditions. Similarly, inadequate or incorrect documentation can hinder communication between healthcare professionals and lead to misunderstandings or insufficient care. Failure to ensure the patient is appropriately prepared, which involves fasting and adherence to hygiene protocols, can affect the patient's safety and well-being. Mismanagement can also include failing to obtain proper informed consent from the patient or neglecting to provide thorough education about the procedure and postoperative care.

Mismanagement of preoperative care can lead to surgical complications, postoperative infections, extended recovery periods, and potentially life-threatening situations. In such cases, the parties responsible for such care may be held legally responsible for the harm suffered by the patient. Lawsuits arising out of the mismanagement of preoperative care typically revolve around allegations of negligence. In order to determine whether a defendant is liable for malpractice, a judge or jury will assess whether the care provided by the defendant fell below the accepted standard of care. This standard of care refers to the level of treatment that another healthcare provider with similar training and experience would provide when faced with similar circumstances.

Even if the defendant’s treatment fell below the standard of care, they will only be held liable if the patient can demonstrate that the breach of the standard of care directly caused their harm. In other words, the patient must prove that they would not have suffered harm had the defendant not deviated from the standard of care.

Doctors and nurses who provide preoperative care undergo extensive education and training, and medical malpractice cases often involve intricate medical issues that are difficult for the average person to comprehend. Consequently, it is crucial to engage an expert witness who can offer testimony to establish what the standard of care should be and how the care provided deviated from that standard. Expert testimony is also necessary to prove that the defendant departed from the standard of care and directly caused the plaintiff’s harm and to quantify the patient's damages.

If a patient successfully demonstrates that the defendant should be held liable, they may be awarded compensation for their medical expenses, as well as damages for any lost earnings resulting from the harm and for the pain and suffering they endured. Additionally, if the plaintiff was married when the harm occurred, their spouse may also be eligible to seek damages for the impact the incident had on their life.

Preoperative care plays a fundamental role in enhancing patient safety and the overall success of surgical interventions. As such, mismanagement of preoperative care can lead to dangerous complications and can drastically reduce a patient’s prognosis for recovery. If you sustained losses due to the negligence of preoperative care providers, it is wise to talk to an attorney about your rights. The skilled Baltimore attorneys at Arfaa Law Group are proficient at demonstrating liability in medical malpractice cases, and if we represent you, we will diligently seek the best legal result available in your case. We have an office in Baltimore, where we regularly represent parties in medical malpractice cases. You can reach us through our online form or at (410) 889-1850 to arrange a consultation.