The health emergency that has gripped the nation since March 2020 has also brought about some changes in the way doctors treat patients in Texas. Keeping consistent with guidelines for social distancing, federal regulations were eased for physicians when communicating with patients, and in particular, allowing for telehealth visits and phone calls. Conveying information to patients following testing is one of the most important things doctors do, and many times telecommunications can be performed effectively. However, misunderstandings could also be more common as well, which could lead to malpractice issues for medical professionals.
Misdiagnosis
One of the most common problems associated with medical malpractice lawsuits is not properly diagnosing a particular disease or ailment. Pain is often an indicator of what may be happening within the human body, but different diseases can produce similar pain symptoms. Many times doctors will treat the patient for an illness that is diagnosed in error when they have not conducted comprehensive testing. There is a heightened risk of this happening in telemedicine.
Medication mistakes
Another common problem that can arise from using telemedicine communication is a misunderstanding of medication administration. It is easy for a nurse to communicate a prescription to a pharmacist only to have the dosage and instructions misunderstood. This can lead to all sorts of injuries, including overdoses, all of which could have possibly been eliminated with in-person office visits. Med mal attorneys in Texas understand well that these errors can also lead directly to malpractice claims.
As restrictions ease and in-person appointments become more common, the instances of malpractice due to errors could be on the decline. But, med mal attorneys advise all Texans to be aware of what options are available when they have been injured by a doctor who has misdiagnosed their illness or administered the wrong medications.