Quality care during an emergency room visit

Emergency rooms in Florida provide immediate medical care to people suffering from traumatic injuries. However, subpar treatment can happen and the outcome can have life-threatening impacts on victims.

Patients going to the ER deserve more than humane treatment. They deserve compassion, respect and protection.

Customized treatment

One of the most blatant errors a doctor can make is to treat every patient the same. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a staggering 120 million or more people visit U.S. emergency departments every year. Each of these people has a unique health history, various personal needs, individual preferences and different symptoms. Mistakes in treatment can result from miscommunication, negligence, fatigue and irresponsibility.

Patients arriving at the ER should anticipate customized treatment. The medical staff should respond promptly. They should carefully assess medical records to understand the safest and most viable treatments. They should exhibit the highest level of respect toward injured persons and their families. When committed to patient well-being, emergency department staff can minimize the risks of mistakes.

Empathetic care

In addition to quality physical care, ER staff should show empathy. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, empathy is when people show an awareness of another’s needs. Medical staff can show empathy when they listen intently to patient concerns and respond to inquiries with thoughtful and informative answers. After patients have received necessary medical care, emergency departments should solicit feedback. Hospitals can better understand the needs of their patients and how to better serve the public when they ask for feedback and then implement changes.

If people have received injuries or have endured a life-threatening situation because of an ER mistake, they have the right to file a lawsuit. Working with an attorney may help victims and their families to effectively describe their situation in an effort to recover compensatory damages.