Times to avoid surgery

Florida residents contemplating surgery might be interested to hear that there are certain times when the risk of surgical errors might be greater. While modern experts do not exactly advise when to have surgeries based upon lunar cycles, some do say that timing might make a difference.

Many experts say that patients should try to avoid being hospitalized in July since that is when graduating medical students enter hospitals to work as residents. The researches at John Hopkins did a study that suggested that the amount of medical malpractice errors for spinal metastases surgeries led to more complications as well as more fatality rates in July than in other months. Yet, other studies have found that there is no difference in the chance of medical malpractice in July than other months.

Some studies show that the amount of people likely to be dead within a week of being hospitalized for an emergency on a holiday is increased by 48 percent than those hospitalized for emergencies on non-holidays. Additionally, other studies suggest that the likely of medical errors increases the later it gets in the day, possibly because doctors begin to tire throughout the day. Some experts even suggest that the second matters. For example, according to one economist, women are more likely to have unplanned C-sections between 3 and 9 in the evening, maybe because doctors are attempting to wrap up their work.

Regardless of when people have their surgeries, there is always a chance that medical malpractice could occur. If people do begin to experience complications after their surgeries, they could decide to file medical malpractice lawsuits against the doctors that performed their surgeries. Medical malpractice attorneys might be able to assist victims in preparing their claims and negotiating a settlement.

Source: The Atlantic, “The Worst Time to Have Surgery“, James Hamblin, June 19, 2013