As Americans sink under medical expenses, debt collectors go to great—and sometimes strange—lengths to collect. On March 8, 2011, Joclyn Krevat, an occupational therapist in New York, was sitting at her computer when she received...
By Kevin Kunzmann & Jenna Payesko, MD Magazine. Alex James knew how to exhaust himself. It started on his childhood swim team when his coach, a whistle-blowing, red-faced caricature, demanded he swim to the end...
Living wills and other advance directives are written, legal instructions regarding your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Advance directives guide choices for doctors and caregivers if you’re...
Each year, an estimated 100,000 people in the United States die or are permanently disabled due to a diagnosis that was either missed or delayed. Misdiagnoses are the most common, costly, and dangerous of medical...
One in 20 patients (6%) is impacted by preventable medical errors, according to a recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal BMJ. What’s more, about 12% of preventable patient harm results in “prolonged, permanent disability”...
Medications can be lifesaving by performing critical tasks such as keeping blood sugar at safe levels, hearts thumping rhythmically, and moods afloat. Yet side effects and interactions between drugs (both prescription and nonprescription drugs) may...
Falls are a common and devastating complication of hospital care, particularly in elderly patients. Epidemiologic studies have found that falls occur at a rate of 3–5 per 1000 bed-days, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimates that...
Can hospitals turn patients away if they have no money or insurance? Can hospitals refuse to admit you if you are unvaccinated? Yes and no. It depends on the circumstances. As COVID cases spread and...
During a hospital stay, Medicare beneficiaries have important rights to receive the medical care they need. You have these rights whether you are enrolled in the original Medicare plan or a Medicare health plan. Your...
Hospital stays are difficult times for patients and their families, especially for those who need long term care upon discharge. Increasingly short hospital stays pose a tremendous challenge to families who have to arrange post-hospital...