Ryan Zavodnick | May 25, 2025 | Medical Malpractice
Although medical errors often occur at the individual level, sources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) agree that the only way to address these challenges is with systemic changes. Specifically, the NIH recommends the development of “multifaceted prevention protocols” implemented at “various healthcare levels.” The points of failure within a system are often deeply embedded in workplace cultures, and the entire facility could be to blame for hospital negligence. Even if a patient believes that an individual doctor made an error that caused their life-changing injuries, it may make sense to hold the hospital accountable as well. Patients and families recovering from injuries caused by hospital negligence might want to contact experienced medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia, such as Zavodnick & Lasky. We serve residents of Philadelphia and New Castle County, Delaware – so continue this dialogue by calling (215) 774-6467.
Improper Hiring Practices: A Clear Error Made by the Facility
Some medical errors are clearly made by entire medical facilities instead of individual doctors. One of the clearest examples is improper hiring practices. When a hospital hires a new doctor, administrators are responsible for reviewing the qualifications, educational history, and past disciplinary actions associated with the candidate.
If a hospital mistakenly hires a doctor with serious issues, this can lead to serious harm for patients. Often, this is the result of insufficient background checks. Hospitals often claim that it is challenging to review the background of a doctor who has practiced medicine in a different state. While it might be true that doctors with questionable histories often transfer to new jurisdictions while hiding their issues, hospitals still need to conduct proper background checks.
Failing to Fire Doctors Who Repeatedly Injure Patients
If individual doctors make harmful mistakes at hospitals, the facility administrators must remove these problematic employees before they can cause any more damage. Too often, doctors remain in their positions despite repeatedly making reckless errors. These doctors might use their connections and personal friendships to keep their jobs while patients continue to pay the price. If it becomes clear that administrators failed to remove doctors despite becoming aware of repeated errors, this may constitute hospital negligence.
Often, medical facilities have clear written policies regarding disciplinary action. For example, a facility might have a “three strikes” policy that mandates termination after three serious errors. If a facility violates their own written policy and fails to terminate doctors, this could easily lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit. Experienced lawyers such as Zavodnick & Lasky may be able to obtain copies of these written policies to use as evidence.
Medical Computer System Errors Can Cause Harm
Another obvious example of a systemic medical issue might involve a computer error. For decades, hospitals have relied heavily on computer systems to track patients and record important data. The assumption is that these systems are foolproof and more reliable than human tracking systems. However, the computer systems themselves are still the product of human engineering – and so they can never fully escape the limitations of human error. A single glitch or virus could cause all kinds of issues for patients, and these virtual computer errors can lead to physical harm.
The Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) states that “data integrity failures” are quite common in health IT systems. When patient data is inaccurate or incomplete, doctors and nurses might administer the wrong type of treatment. Alternatively, they may not administer any treatment at all – even when it is essential. The ECRI states that something as simple as a poorly designed computer interface can cause healthcare professionals to make serious errors. This form of hospital negligence could become increasingly common as facilities rely more on untested AI solutions.
Improper Maintenance and Cleaning Can Cause Harm
Hospital administrators must prioritize maintenance and cleaning. A sterile, clean environment is absolutely essential, helping to prevent infections and the spread of harmful diseases. If a facility begins to fail in this duty of care, patients could face an increased risk of infection and disease transmission. This threat is especially prevalent for the most vulnerable patients, including those with compromised immune systems. Senior patients are also more vulnerable to infections.
Maintenance is important from a healthcare perspective. Today, hospitals rely on extremely advanced equipment and technology on a regular basis. In order to keep this equipment operating effectively, hospital staff must carefully calibrate and maintain it. In addition, administrators must ensure proper quality control when acquiring new medical equipment for the first time. If necessary, they must return defective or damaged equipment and secure replacements. One paper published by the NIH states that the maintenance of equipment directly affects “the survival and health of patients.” Patients who believe that they suffered harm due to ineffective equipment may have experienced hospital negligence.
How Do I Prove Hospital Negligence?
An experienced medical malpractice lawyer may be able to help injured patients and their families prove hospital negligence. During the discovery phase of a claim, victims and their lawyers can request access to various documents that may provide crucial information. These documents might include hiring records, written policies, disciplinary records, computer data, maintenance records, and many others. Lawyers may also interview staff members to learn more about their training and systemic issues within the hospital. Each case is different, requiring distinct evidence and strategies.
Discuss Hospital Negligence With Zavodnick & Lasky
After suffering an injury at a medical facility, patients often want to figure out the root cause of the error. A patient might experience some sense of closure when they determine the specific medical error that caused their injuries, and this might also help when filing medical malpractice claims. That said, patients should know that they should be able to directly sue a medical facility regardless of who or what is responsible for their injuries. An individual doctor represents the entire hospital, and to some extent, the entire healthcare system in the United States. Consider speaking with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia to learn whether it might be possible to file a claim for hospital negligence. A continued discussion with Zavodnick & Lasky could be helpful, and patients can contact this law firm at (215) 774-6467.
