757-460-7776 Website Visit contest 1-800-752-0042

Practice Areas

HSInjury Blog

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

view all

Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer

Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

Northeast NC Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm News

View all

Library

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

View all

print

Blog Category:

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

6/14/2009
James Lewis
Comments (0)

Surgical Sponges/Towels Left Inside The Patient Body: Using New RFID Technology To Prevent Medical Malpractice, Improve Patient Safety

Surgical Sponges/Towels Left Inside The Patient Body:

RFID Technology To Prevent Medical Malpractice, Improve Patient Safety

[Editor’s Note:  For earlier related injury prevention/medical malpractice articles relating to surgery sponges left in a patient’s body:

Retained surgical sponges: a known medical error

 One More Reason Surgical Sponges/Towels Left Inside Patients Create Obvious Liability For Hospitals and Surgeons: Sponge Count Technology Can Reduce These “Never Events” ]

I have written a series of articles focusing on simple methods of preventing injuries/medical malpractice in the hospital operating room setting, involving surgical sponges/towels left inside a patient's body.  The medical field calls this “retained sponge” situations, but patients suffering this malpractice just find out that they have a major infection and need to have a second surgery-and they usually retain an injury lawyer like a member of my Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) injury law firm.

These types of medical errors should never happen, and do not involve any “complication” of surgery. They are simple administrative matters (“mistakes”) that can be prevented and reduced and nearly eliminated, especially with the advent of new computer aided technologies.

A few weeks ago I wrote about a company that has invented a simple method of placing a bar code on each surgical sponge, and provides a barcode reader wand. The company SurgiCount has its products in a number of hospitals, and reports terrific success in reducing the number of lost surgical sponges that can cause an infection in the patient, which exposes the hospital or surgeon to medical malpractice liability. And that liability is not speculative--it is generally clear liability to the patient. Since my last article I received e-mail from other representatives of companies with technologies that can also reduce the number of patients who have surgical sponges or surgical towels left inside their body by accident.

Another company is using radio frequency identification (RFID) methods on surgical towels or sponges-- yes, the same technology that is being placed on some consumer products along with bar codes. RFID technology allows for tracking of a product a little bit like a global positioning system, but on a much more simple basis because it is not being tracked by satellites but can be located a nearby computer wand in a hospital setting.
The best part of the RF system is that it can wand the table, floor, trash, etc in the operating room as well.  This is particularly advantageous if there is an “incorrect count”.  The RF system is designed to allow the doctor/surgeon to have the rapid ability to find the sponge/towel either inside the patient or wherever it may be in the surgical setting.

To read the full latest article in Shapiro's series on medical malpractice prevention, click here.

 

 

 


About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have extensive experience handling medical malpractice cases. Please take a moment to review our medical malpractice case results. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you've been seriously hurt by a doctor's carelessness. We are ready to talk to you right now and provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition, named Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law  (2009, less than 5% of lawyers are chosen), and selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2009). In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical, respected law firms. Our firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

We offer FREE special reports on the Top 10 Tips from a Medical Malpractice Insider and the Top 5 Surgical Errors You Must Know About. Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a public information service. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube.

injury, lawyerinjury, lawyerinjury, lawyerinjury, lawyerinjury, lawyer



There are no comments.

Post a comment

Post a Comment to "Surgical Sponges/Towels Left Inside The Patient Body: Using New RFID Technology To Prevent Medical Malpractice, Improve Patient Safety"

To reply to this message, enter your reply in the box labeled "Message", hit "Post Message."

Name:*

Email:* (will not be published)

Website:

Message:

Notify me of follow-up comments via email.

For security purposes, please enter the graphic text in the box below: [hit F5 if you can not read the text]


Quick Contact

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Tell us more:


Main Office
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: (757) 460-7776
Fax: (757) 460.3428
Toll Free: (800) 752.0042
Get Directions

Hampton-Peninsula Area Office
Mill Point Center
101 Eaton Street
Hampton, Virginia 23669
Phone: (757) 788-8162
Fax: (757) 460-3428
Toll Free: (800) 752-0042
Get Directions

NE NC Office
101 E. Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Phone: (757) 460-7776
Fax: (757) 460.3428
Toll Free: (800) 752.0042
Get Directions

We Welcome
Lawyer Referrals
click here


Case Results

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.


Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

More

FAQs

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

more

InjuryBoard Resources

1-800-752-0042