How to Be Your Own Patient Advocate: Protecting Yourself in a Broken Medical System
When you walk into a doctor’s office or hospital, you trust that your health is in good hands. However, medical mistakes happen far more often than patients realize, and the consequences can be devastating.
To protect yourself, it is important to be your own advocate. Patients who speak up, ask questions, and keep records are often better positioned to catch potential problems and protect their legal rights if something goes wrong. Our Maryland medical malpractice lawyers explain more about the problem and how to advocate for yourself.
Medical Malpractice In Baltimore Happens More Often Than You Think
According to a landmark study conducted at Johns Hopkins Medicine, medical mistakes and errors are a leading cause of death in the United States, falling just behind heart disease and cancer. Mistakes on the part of physicians, surgeons, diagnostic techs, or other healthcare providers can happen in hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and even during routine doctor visits.
Baltimore is no exception. Hospital Safety Grades show that facilities in our area routinely fall below average standards of care. Common ways medical malpractice can happen as a result include:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of severe conditions like cancer, stroke, or infections;
- Surgical errors, including wrong-site surgery or retained surgical tools;
- Medication mistakes, such as incorrect dosage or harmful drug interactions;
- Birth injuries due to improper monitoring or delayed emergency response;
- Not getting informed consent from the patient prior to a procedure;
- Neglect or substandard care in hospitals or long-term care facilities
Tips for Being Your Own Patient Advocate
Whether you’re going in for surgery or just trying to get a diagnosis, speaking up can literally save your life. Doctor’s offices, emergency rooms, and other healthcare facilities are often rushed, understaffed, and prone to communication breakdowns. Practical ways to be your own patient advocate include:
- Take someone with you: A trusted friend or relative can help ask questions and remember details.
- Keep your own records: Track symptoms, medications, test results, and appointment notes.
- Ask for clarification: Don’t be afraid to question medical jargon or request a second opinion.
- Check prescriptions before taking them: Confirm name, dose, and interactions.
- Know your rights: You’re entitled to copies of your medical records and to refuse treatment.
- Speak up about mistakes: If something feels off, say so. Early intervention can prevent harm.
Advocating for yourself also helps in providing the documentation needed in the event of medical malpractice in Baltimore. Under the Maryland Statutes, patients may file a malpractice claim if they suffer harm due to a healthcare provider’s deviation from accepted medical standards.
Get Experienced Legal Help From Our Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Even the most vigilant and proactive patient can fall victim to medical malpractice in Baltimore. If you suspect problems with the quality of your care, contact Maryland Injury Lawyers. We help patients and families hold negligent providers accountable and get the compensation they deserve. To protect your health as well as your rights in a claim, request a consultation today with our experienced Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers.
Sources:
hub.jhu.edu/2016/05/03/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death/
hospitalsafetygrade.org/h/holy-cross-hospital-silver-spring-md?findBy=city&city=Baltimore&state_prov=MD&rPos=4621&rSort=distance
