McKeen & Associates

At compounding pharmacies, drug safety is no guarantee

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Medication Errors on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

As consumers in the American healthcare system, we trust our medical providers to keep us from harm. We also – perhaps less consciously – depend on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that the drugs we receive are safe. When you pick up a prescription from the pharmacy, the process that went into creating that drug probably doesn’t even cross your mind.

However, not all drug manufacturing facilities are created equal. While many drug manufacturers are subject to strict federal regulation, others – known as compounding pharmacies – fly under the radar. Such facilities have created a public health concern for Americans.

Mistreatment with anesthesia can be hard to recover from

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Medication Errors on Tuesday, October 8, 2019.

Doctors use anesthesia to help make your operation — and recovery — as painless as possible. But a mistake in administering anesthesia can result in added pain and recovery time for you.

Here are three common anesthesia errors that can cause problems for patients:

Fetal monitoring is critical during labor and delivery

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC on Thursday, October 3, 2019.

A woman who is in labor in a birthing center or hospital needs fetal monitoring during the process. Some women don't mind doing this because it is a way they can ensure the baby is doing well. Others might not like having to be hooked up to machines.

Each facility has its own guidelines about what type of monitoring patients need, but these all must focus on the health of the mother and the baby. There are two primary schedules for monitoring – continuous or intermittent. Each is only appropriate for specific cases, so women must communicate with the labor and delivery team to determine which is necessary.

Hospitals nationally pay attention to Leapfrog’s graded assessments

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Surgical Errors on Friday, September 27, 2019.

“It doesn’t matter how sick you are,” says Leah Binder. “The surgeon and operating room team shouldn’t be leaving sponges or surgical tools in you.”

We suspect that every one of our blog readers in Michigan and across the country agrees strongly with Binder’s view.

Take action to prevent maternal mortality

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Birth Injuries on Friday, September 27, 2019.

Welcome or not, well-intended people shower expectant moms with advice. Whether about proper nutrition, exercise, prenatal vitamins, weight gain or parenting classes, advice is generally not in short supply. But how many moms-to-be get information about the risks associated with labor and delivery? Women and their families must educate themselves about warning signs of potential maternal mortality.

Having a baby is supposed to be an exciting and life-changing experience. Sadly, American women are more likely to die during childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in any other developed country. In other developed countries, the maternal death rate has been steadily decreasing since 2000. In the U.S., it has gone up.

Overcoming postpartum depression

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Birth Injuries on Wednesday, September 25, 2019.

When you think about having your baby and bringing home a new bundle of joy, you know you’ll be excited and probably a little nervous. But on top of all these emotions, it’s important to understand that you might also find yourself feeling depressed.

While many women suffer from the “baby blues” after giving birth, postpartum depression can be much more serious and long-lasting. Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, irritable and sometimes even violent are all emotions that stem from depression.

1 to 3 out of 1,000 newborns suffer from a brachial plexus injury

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Birth Injuries on Monday, September 23, 2019.

Pregnancy is an exciting but also nerve-wracking time. Despite all the advances in modern medicine and the safety measures of hospitals today, there are still risks involved in childbirth, including doctor error.

One common cause for medical malpractice lawsuits related to childbirth is a brachial plexus injury.

Back-to-school "Santa Clause" visits Detroit

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in blog on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.

For many children, going back to school is an exciting time. They look forward to seeing their friends and learning more in their favorite classes. As a parent, however, back-to-school season can be bittersweet. The steep costs of back-to-school supplies (averaging nearly $700 per family--and growing every year) can quickly put financial stress on your household.

Now imagine finding out that a good Samaritan offered to cover your back-to-school expenses for you. That's what happened last week at Detroit's Meijer grocery store.

Start school on the right foot: by getting there safely

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC posted in Injuries to Children on Monday, August 26, 2019.

Back-to-school season is a busy time for parents. You may be out buying new notebooks and pencils. You might be signing permissions slips or attending PTA meetings.

What you might not be doing, however, is preparing your child for a safe ride to and from school. The beginning of the school year tends to see a spike in accidents involving school children. Here are a few tips to protect your children on the ride to school.

How does standard of care impact medical malpractice?

On behalf of McKeen & Associates, PC on Thursday, August 22, 2019.

Patients who are receiving care for a medical issue expect that they will be taken care of in an appropriate manner. When doctors and medical professionals don't provide the care they need, they might end up being accused of providing care that doesn't meet the standard.

These cases are challenging because the standard of care doesn't stay the same through all cases. To figure out what applies in your case you have to look at the circumstances. Any small change could alter the standard of care.