Distracted Doctors in the Medical Workplace

Standard Duty of Care 

All healthcare professionals owe patients a standard duty of care when they are working in the medical field. The duty of care is the level of skill, expertise, and care that physicians practice in the healthcare community and all doctors must work under these circumstances. Doctors now follow about the same duty of care that has been approved for “national board” exams in every geographic area in the United States. Did your doctor fail to act in a manner that is consistent with the expectations of the medical community? Then you may have a claim against them. This is the case for many people every year who have been affected by a doctor who was distracted while they were working. 

Healthcare Distractions 

Medical error has been the subject of attention for many years now, which is why many in the healthcare community believe that putting technology in the hands of professionals will change the game. This is why hospitals and doctor’s offices have invested heavily in computers, smartphones, and other devices so that doctors will have instant access to patient data as well as drug information. However, this has posed many other issues, such as the most obvious: doctors and nurses may be too focused on the screen and not as focused on their patients.

Something known as “distracted doctoring” has evolved over the past few years and has been prevalent in studies where doctors admit that they have texted during procedures. Some hospitals have taken action and will limit device use during medical procedures or other critical situations. The devices were once intentionally used for looking at medical records, but now doctors and nurses are tempted by social media in the process. With only about half of doctors thinking that texting or calling during surgery is a big deal, there are important measures to be taken and assessed. In one such case, a patient sued in a medical malpractice claim because the doctor was distracted during the operation and he was left partially paralyzed. With this becoming more of a reality in the healthcare industry, attorneys are reaching out. If you have been injured and believe that medical malpractice was at play, give us a call today so we can represent you in your case.