Standard of care matters in medical malpractice claims

Doctors who are diagnosing and treating patients must provide care that meets or exceeds the standard of care. When they fail to do this, the patients can suffer. In some cases, it can lead to permanent problems or death. It is imperative that all medical providers ensure they are doing things up to par for their patients.

There are many factors when it comes to standard of care. Not all patients will have the exact same standards to meet. Understanding standards of care might shed some light on why it is sometimes difficult to determine.

Factors that impact standard of care

The standard of care is determined by the skills and training of the doctor, the information available about the patient and condition, and the technology available. This means that a neurosurgeon would be held to a higher standard about a traumatic brain injury than a general practitioner, but that neurosurgeon would be held to a lesser standard regarding a heart defect than a cardiologist.

The information that the medical team has also plays a part. If a doctor has an incomplete medical history, they may not be able to make an accurate diagnosis. This is why patients should always relay factual and complete information.

The technology available is another factor. For example, a patient with cancer might not get the same care at a rural office that isn’t equipped with a radiation suite as what they would get a leading cancer treatment facility.

Proving that standard of care wasn’t met

It can be difficult to prove that the standard of care wasn’t met. One of the ways that this is done is by presenting another medical professional with the same information that the doctor in question had and finding out what they would do. Many medical professionals won’t testify against others in the field. This is a tight-knit community that will usually stand together. Looking at the circumstances of the case can also help to prove your side of the matter.

Filing a medical malpractice claim for substandard care in Georgia that resulted in harm to you sends a clear message to the provider that they should have been more cautious. It also seeks to hold them financially accountable for the monetary damages you have to deal with.