Patient Abuse and Neglect Mainly Happens in Nursing Homes. Right?
Patient abuse and neglect is probably more common than you realize. The problem is that most people associate it with nursing homes or home care. That is not totally true. The case involving Keisha White at Vidant Medical Center is not an isolated or rare occurrence. It’s naïve to think so. It’s that many people have been conditioned to believe that hospital workers have their best interest at heart. They give doctors and nurses a “god complex.” Bad medical care is not a fantasy. It’s a reality that people should accept as a possibility.
While there are some damn good doctors and nurses out there, a hospital setting does not miraculously remove mistakes or ill intentions from people. Keep in mind that you see these same people in the streets in your every day life. You see them in malls, grocery stores, pet stores, bars, school events, bingo halls, walking down the street, etc. And when seeing them in public environments, out of uniform, could you believe that that person may be capable of doing you harm?
BS Statistics
Referring to Nursing Homes: “According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), roughly 95% of nursing home residents have been neglected or have witnessed neglect. A lack of medical care in nursing homes can have serious consequences, including death.” ~ Feb 7, 2022 (Source link below.)
Referring to Hospitals: “When broken down by types of abuse as reported by staff, the rate of psychological abuse was 32.5%, neglect 12%, physical abuse 9.3%, and sexual abuse 0.7%” – Dec 1, 2020 (Source link below.)
As you can see, the only stat close to what may be real is the one regarding nursing homes. That’s one of the reasons hospital workers are thought of as gods. Ouch! I just stepped on someone’s foot. Many of you aren’t trying to hear this and will click away. Some of you may think my statement is biased based on personal relationships.
Those who don’t agree that patient abuse and neglect probably happens every single day in a hospital setting, or who refuse to accept the possibility, are giving white stethoscope-wearing humans too much credit.
It’s a fantasy much like giving Santa Claus all the credit for putting a smile on your kid’s face on Christmas. It’s a happy thought; a thought we’d rather have that keeps us living in a fantasy world. The reality is Santa doesn’t make every child smile on Christmas. Many kids are sad and disappointed because Santa was broke or he seemed to have forgotten all about them.
“Forgotten all about them…” Hmm, a human error that can cause one his/her life in a hospital. Let that sink in.
Even “Forgetfulness” May Be a Crime
Patient abuse and neglect is a crime punishable by law EVEN if it is a MISTAKE. You may have a civil claim, or you may have a criminal complaint, or you may have both. Yes, hospital workers are human, and to be human is to err. That is very true! But to be human also encompasses a wide range of attitudes, emotions, and abilities, as well as, capabilities; and this is very true, too. This does not change because of where one works or which profession he or she chooses.
So, How Common is Patient Abuse and Neglect Really?
I don’t have the answer to that question and neither does anyone else. Each and every case is not reported, therefore statistics are skewed since they only include reported cases. Hospital cases of abuse and neglect are usually hidden because of M-O-N-E-Y. Look at some of the possible reasons.
- Career Jeopardy – No one wants their career ended over a mistake… but what if the “mistake” ends a life or does irreparable harm? Now which one is more important? I guess it depends on which side of the table you’re sitting.
- Controlling fear – They need you to NOT fear medical professionals or facilities.
- Reputation – They need you to trust medical professionals and facilities.
- Insurance costs – We all know how insurance premiums work.
- Law suits – Well, there goes the lower end of expensive premiums. But if the “error” is egregious, insurance may not pay a dime. Well, there goes their bottom line. And the more lawsuits that are public knowledge, the more the fear, the worse the reputation, and the higher the insurance premiums.
- Attorney fees
- Error Correction Measures
The list goes on. It’s all about the money. Again, there are some FANTASTIC and CARING healthcare workers out there. This post is not to diminish what they do. All I’m saying is there’s a reason to keep their well-intentioned mistakes out of the public’s ear.
But I’ll tell you this much…
While nursing homes probably do not have any or many lobbyists, hospitals DO. They lobby to keep the law on their side, which means having to work with lawyers. Many lawyers are paid off to keep civil penalties out of the news and civil settlements out of court. Some are also paid to keep criminal charges from being filed, such as in the case of district attorneys and prosecuting attorneys. These things are called, “sweeping the crime under the rug.”
The Low Down Attorney
About 95% of all civil suits are kept out of court via settling out of court. You ever wonder why that is? They say it’s because the courts are bogged down already and victims would rather not wait a few years to have their cases heard. And that may be the case, too. But going to court means filing such cases with the court, which means money, (cough) I mean negative publicity for the facility. Once a case is filed, it becomes public information FOREVER.
With that said, hospitals that can afford it have a huge reason to pay off your attorney to keep your case out of court. In exchange for a bigger pay off, the low down attorney will stoop even lower to keep your settlement as low as possible. (This is not referencing EVERY attorney. I’m sure there are some honest attorneys who strive to be the best corrupt-free lawyer that they can be. Just remember that money breeds corruption, and enough money can persuade many people; attorney or otherwise.)
How do you feel about medical workers now? Oh, what I just said is about attorneys; not doctors and nurses. Right? Well, have you ever heard of a doctor or nurse turning themselves in to authorities after killing a patient? What about a doctor or nurse admitting fault for their actions during the legal process? Telling their insurance provider that because of their error, the victim should be paid the max they can get? Have you ever heard of a doctor or nurse who’s been accused of patient abuse and neglect, NOT use an attorney to fight against you in a civil case? But they have YOUR best interest at heart. 🤔 Yeah, okay.
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