What to do if you Suspect Healthcare Malpractice

Having access to long-term care facilities, assisted living communities, and care homes can be of benefit, both for the resident in care and for families. In fact, knowing that a loved one is being cared for by trusted professionals in a safe environment can alleviate distress among elders and their loved ones.

However, it can be devastating if you suspect that your loved is not being cared for in a manner consistent with accepted standards. Sometimes there is cause for concern that is deeper than differences in expectations regarding the care that should be provided for a loved one. For example, there are still cases of care home abuse that occur on rare occasions and unfortunately malpractice still occurs.

If you suspect that malpractice has occurred while your loved one is receiving long-term care, you may not know what to do to address the situation. In the following paragraphs we will delve into what constitutes malpractice including steps to take if you suspect that your loved one is being harmed.

What counts as healthcare malpractice?

Malpractice is a complex term that encompasses a variety of actions. In essence, malpractice occurs when a caregiver or healthcare provider breaks the code of conduct by not providing the care, they have vowed to provide for all patients equally. This can include:

• Negligence, the denial of medical, emotional, or physical needs of a resident.
• Abuse, including verbal and physical abuse towards a patient or patients.
• Theft of belongings of a patient or resident in their care.
• Deliberate misuse of medication, facilities, or equipment.

3 steps to take if you suspect healthcare malpractice

If you suspect healthcare malpractice of either yourself or a loved one, it can be very overwhelming. The following are three practical steps to take if you suspect this behavior and want to act:

Step 1: Inform leadership of your concerns.

If there is a department or person you can report this malpractice to, you should do so right away. This could be a senior nurse or doctor at the care home or an HR representative. Make sure you prepare your communications carefully; word your concerns without accusing, assuring that you have evidence and grounds for everything you are saying.

You should conduct this conversation in a private and respectful manner before you take any accusations public.

Step 2: Gather evidence of the malpractice.

If the malpractice has had any physical or emotional effects on your loved one, you should gather and document any evidence. For example, this could be photographing physical evidence or taking statements from your loved one about how this has affected them. Gathering evidence can be distressing but might be necessary should you need to take additional steps.

Step 3: Hire a lawyer.

If you intend to press charges against a singular person or an institution, hiring a lawyer is the natural next step. Lawyers at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC are highly qualified to deal with sensitive and distressing claims such as care malpractice.

Final Thoughts

While it can be very upsetting when care malpractice happens, there are things you can do to bring justice to the situation.