Working in health care is rewarding, but it can be both mentally and physically exhausting. To make matters worse, patients in Texas sometimes accuse doctors, nurses and other medical workers of committing medical malpractice when they are dissatisfied with treatment outcomes. Defending oneself against such unwarranted accusations is often key to maintaining professional integrity.
Consider the standard of care
Patients sometimes expect doctors to be miracle workers who can easily cure illnesses and injuries. The reality is that doctors are human beings just like anyone else, and it is impossible for these men and women to fix every last medical issue without fail. However, doctors should always strive to meet the standard of care when treating a patient, and most do.
Standard of care can be very important when it comes to medical malpractice lawsuits. In general, these lawsuits try to establish medical negligence often by claiming that providers did not meet the standard of care. Other ways that a suit might try to lay blame at the feet of a provider include claiming that he or she:
- Did not obtain informed consent prior to administering a treatment or procedure
- Prescribed the incorrect medication or dosage
- Negligently prescribed a medical device
Just because a patient is unsatisfied with his or her health outcome does not mean that a health care provider is to blame. Unfortunately, providers in Texas are often blamed for medical outcomes over which they have little to no control. Fighting such accusations can be overwhelming and time consuming though, which is why many providers choose to discuss how to protect their reputations and medical licenses with attorneys who understand the complexities of medical malpractice lawsuits.