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Medical technology is a wonderful assistance to doctors and has come a long way since the first X-rays were introduced but, as with any machine, the equipment is only as good as the person who operates it and can be a source of misdiagnosis.
A medical device is the term used for anything other than a medicine or prescription drug which is used in diagnosis, treatment or surgery. This covers everything from the simplest bandage or protective gloves up to defibrillators and MRI scanners.
According to the clinical director for devices at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Dr Susanne Ludgate, there are something like 15,000 businesses which manufacture more than 100,000 different brands of medical devices and the more sophisticated they are then the higher risk there is of something going wrong and patient safety being compromised.
Although there can be problems with the device itself, often the source of a difficulty is how the operator uses it. For example, instructions might be unclear, it could have been maintained or stored incorrectly or the user may not be sufficiently trained and experienced to correctly apply it for a patient's benefit.
With technology developing so rapidly, it can be hard for an operator, even a well-trained one, to be able to keep up with changes in systems, especially where manufacturers do not adopt common standards.
There is also the human factor, where a nurse or technician may be tired, hungry, distracted or has received inaccurate information which may cause them to misuse a medical device.
If a patient has been harmed through misuse of a piece of medical equipment, it is easy to blame the person who pressed a button or changed a tube, but many other factors could be involved and in the UK, with the latest online reporting systems operated by the MHRA, there should be fewer opportunities for error by a doctor or other medical professional.
Keeping up to date with information and alerts from the government agency is one way for staff to try to reduce medical accidents arising from problems with machinery, as is regular training and support for less-experienced colleagues.
If a doctor wishes to test a new procedure on a patient, they should explain everything thoroughly first, including any possible risks, and not take any chances with untried equipment until it has been properly introduced and proven effective.
Medical negligence compensation and YouClaim
Although there may be a variety of reasons for someone suffering personal injury through the use or misuse of equipment, it can be difficult to prove which person or organisation is at fault and that's where an experienced lawyer can help.
At YouClaim we have experienced professional legal advisers available throughout the UK to represent claimants in clinical negligence cases. They are all supervised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and have the highest standards.
To find out about the possibilities for making a medical negligence claim relating to misdiagnosis or other clinical accident which has compromised your health or made you suffer, you can use the online claim form here or call us free on 0800 10 757 95.
