Firm News

Medical Malpractice

• UPMC profits down but overall financial condition still good
  Jan 26, 2009

  UPMC announced on August 21, 2008 that its profits for fiscal year 2008 were $5 million.  That is down from a reported $612 million in fiscal year 2007.  Most of this decline is due to losses in UPMC's investment portfolio.  UPMC remains exceedingly profitable, earning $184 million in 2008 in its hospital, doctor, and health insurance operations.  The money generated in 2008 by UPMC's hospitals, health insurance business, and other holdings was $7.02 billion, up 12% from fiscal year 2007.

• Don't Become a Victim of Surgical Errors
  Jan 26, 2009

  CNN reports on some things a surgical patient can do in order to help prevent surgical errors. First investigate your doctor and hospital.  Make sure they regularly perform the surgery you are having done.  Second, tell everyone you come into contact at the hospital who you are and why you are having surgery. Third, make sure your doctor initials the surgery site.  Fourth, confirm your surgical site with your surgeon immediately before the operation.  And finally, train a friend or family member to be your advocate.

• Preventing Medical Errors Could Decrease Healthcare Costs by 30%
  Jan 26, 2009

  UPI reports that in addition to saving lifes, preventing medical errors could decrease healthcare costs by as much as 30%. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality states in a new study that cost savings from reducing medical errors is much larger than previously thought.

• Commonwealth Medical Center in Aliquippa Files for Bankruptcy
  Jan 02, 2009

  Commonwealth Medical Center in Aliquippa filed for bankruptcy.  Its predecessor, Aliquippa Community Hospital, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2002. 
  
  

  The bankruptcy filing will allow Commonwealth Medical Center to operate while it reorganizes.

   

  The current facility has been operating under a state order that bans it from seeing new patients due to licensing issues and its financial troubles.
  
  The bankruptcy filing says the hospital has assets of between $10 million and $50 million.  Debt and creditor details will be included in a filing due in Pittsburgh's bankruptcy court by Dec. 22.

• Preeclampsia Causes Epilepsy in Children
  Nov 10, 2008

  A study reported in the medical journal Pediatrics reports that for women who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of epilepsy in their children who are born after 37 weeks of pregnancy.
  
  Preeclampsia is a condition that develops after the 20th week of pregnancy.  It is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.  The best treatment is to deliver the infant.  If this is not feasible, bed rest, close monitoring, and delivery as soon survival outside of the womb is likely is recommended, preferably after the 37th week of pregnancy.  Women are usually hospitalized and carefully monitored.

  Prior research has identified eclampsia as a strong risk factor for epilepsy in offspring, but whether the same held true with preeclampsia was unclear.  Eclampsia occurs when pre-eclampsia worsens and is characterized by seizures, agitation and unconsciousness.  Eclampsia is considered a medical emergency and jeopardizes the life of the mother and child.

  Preeclampsia exposure was also linked to epilepsy in children born after 37 weeks of gestation. With mild preeclampsia, the epilepsy rate was increased by 16 and 68 percent for full-term and postterm infants, respectively. For severe preeclampsia, the corresponding risks increased by 41 percent and 157 percent.

  Consistent with previous reports, eclampsia was associated with a stronger risk of epilepsy.

• UPMC to Build Hospital in Monroeville
  Nov 06, 2008

  According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) plans to build a seven-story hospital in Monroeville, on the site of a former hotel near the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

   

  In March, UPMC said it was buying the former Palace Inn on Mosside Boulevard in Monroeville for nearly $19 million. The building sits on 12 acres.

   

  At that time, UPMC said the entire structure would be renovated into a health center with outpatient clinics, diagnostic imaging services, an ambulatory surgery center, and urgent care center and doctors' offices.

   

  But now, according to a filing with the local planning commission, UPMC plans to put a 334,000-square-foot hospital and a parking garage on the grounds.  The plans alos include an emergency center.

   

   

  UPMC is the biggest employer in the Pittsburgh region.

   

• Patients Report Adverse Events Not Found in Medical Records
  Oct 17, 2008

  Reuters Health reports that there is significant difference in the number of serious and preventable events noted in patients' hospital charts and those reported by patients.  In a study of almost 1000 patients 23% of the patients reported serious preventable events in post discharge interviews. However a review of those patients' medical charts only showed 11% of the charts documented the serious and preventable events.

• UPMC looking to expand operations in Europe and the Middle East
  Aug 21, 2008

  The Pittsburgh Tribune Review is reporting that UPMC, the region's largest healthcare provider (with annual revenues of about $7 billion in recent years) is looking to open 25 new cancer centers in Europe and the Middle East in the next 10 years.
  

• Many Miss Out on Stroke Treatment
  Aug 12, 2008

  Health Day News reports that most people don't act quickly enough to get the clot dissolving treatment that can limit brain damage as a result of a stroke.  In order for the treatment to be effective you must get the treatment within three hours of onset of symptoms.   Many people fail to recognize the signs of a stroke.  Also even when people get to the hospital emergency room there is often a delay in treatment.
  
  If you believe you have suffered injuries as a result of not getting timely treatment in a hospital emergency room, please call us at 412-471-4300 or 800-350-6161, or click here.

• Colonoscopy Cleansing Problems
  Jul 13, 2008

  Officials from West Penn Allegheny Health System, the parent company of Forbes, announced Wednesday that two of the hospital's colonoscopes weren't being disinfected adequately in between cancer-screening procedures.