National Hospital Week: May 9-15, 2021
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has been hosting National Hospital Week for many years. While the vast majority of hospitals are dedicated to providing quality medical care, there are some facilities that cut corners and engage in other negligent acts that may put patients at risk. Hospitals can be held accountable for negligent misconduct by physicians, nurses, and administration, so it is critical to understand your rights and potential remedies if you or a loved one suffered harm.
Theories of Liability in Hospital Negligence Claims: As a practical matter, hospital negligence is the failure of the facility to provide a level of care in accordance with reasonably acceptable standards. The specific theories that may give rise to a negligence claim against the hospital include:
- Respondeat Superior: This Latin term translates into having the principal answer for the wrongful acts of the agent, or the employer taking responsibility for the misconduct of an employee. So, if a hospital’s employee, such as a doctor or nurse, is negligent, the hospital can be held accountable for that employee’s negligence.
- Direct Negligence: A hospital is required to implement appropriate policies and procedures for purposes of complying with national and state regulations, but also for purposes of ensuring that its patients receive adequate care. If a hospital does not have appropriate standards in place, and that failure leads to a patient’s injury, then the hospital can be held liable for negligently failing to have such policies.
- Inadequate Staffing: Hospitals are required to ensure that there is sufficient staff on duty at all times to support the needs of patients. If understaffing impacts quality patient care, there may be a situation of hospital negligence.
Hospitals and Vicarious Liability: Part of exercising due care involves the hospital’s responsibilities regarding agents and employees. If the facility fails in this duty, you could have a claim based upon vicarious liability. This legal concept basically imputes liability to an employer or principal for the negligence of its agents and employees. Therefore, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against a hospital for:
- Errors (such as misdiagnosis, birth injuries, surgical mistakes, etc.) by physicians who are direct employees or agents of the hospital
- Mistakes by nurses in performing their duties with respect to patients, including feeding, providing medications, and monitoring vital signs
- Simple negligence, such as where an employee causes injury while transferring a patient to a bed, transporting a person via wheelchair, serving meals, and other tasks
Hospital Liability for Negligent Acts: This type of legal liability for a health care facility is holding the organization accountable for its own negligence and errors. A hospital is a business like any other, so some of the concepts of premises liability may arise. For example, a facility may be liable if it:
- Fails to properly vet and conduct background checks on employees
- Neglects to confirm that employees have the proper credentials
- Doesn’t train or supervise employees regarding proper procedures on hand washing, sanitation, prevention of falls
- Neglects to repair medical equipment or dangerous conditions on property
- Fails to maintain proper policies and procedures regarding patient care
- Mishandles patient charts
- Otherwise engages in negligent or careless acts or omissions that cause injury to patients
Contact Our Florida Hospital Errors and Negligence Lawyers to Discuss Details
For more information, please contact Freidin Brown, P.A. at our offices in Miami or Fort Myers, FL. We can set up a no-cost case evaluation with a Florida hospital negligence attorney to review your situation and determine next steps.
Resource:
aha.org/ahia/get-involved/national-hospital-week#:~:text=2021%20National%20Hospital%20Week%20May%209%20%2D%2015%20%7C%20AHA
As a point of reference, please see the list of Florida’s Largest Hospital Systems and Hospitals Below:
HCA
HCA North Florida
Capital Regional Medical Center
Central Florida Regional Hospital
Fort Walton Beach Medical Center
Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center
Lake City Medical Center
North Florida Regional Medical Center
Ocala Regional Medical Center
Osceola Regional Medical Center
Oviedo Medical Center
Poinciana Medical Center
Putnam Community Medical Center
Twin Cities Hospital
UCF Lake Nona Medical Center
West Florida Hospital
HCA South Atlantic
Orange Park Medical Center
Memorial Hospital Jacksonville
HCA East Florida
Aventura Hospital and Medical Center
Highlands Regional Medical Center
JFK Medical Center
JFK North Campus
Kendal Regional Medical Center
Lawnwood Regional Medical Center
Mercy Hospital- Miami
North West Medical Center
Palms West Hospital
Plantation General Hospital
St. Lucie Medical Center
University Hospital & Medical Center
Westside Regional Medical Center
HCA West Florida
Blake Medical Center
Brandon Regional Hospital
Citrus Memorial
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
Englewood Community Hospital
Fawcett Memorial
Largo Medical Center
Medical Center of Trinity
Memorial Hospital of Tampa
Northside Hospital
Oak Hill Hospital
Palms of Pasadena
RMC Bayonet Point
South Bay Hospital
St. Petersburg General
Advent Health
AdventHealth Sebring
AdventHealth Lake Placid
AdventHealth Altamonte Springs
AdventHealth Apopka
AdventHealth Celebration
AdventHealth East Orlando
AdventHealth for Children
AdventHealth Kissimmee
Advent Health Orlando
AdventHealth Winter Park
AdventHealth Winter Garden
AdventHealth Tampa
AdventHealth Lake Wales
AdventHealth Carrollwood
AdventHealth Connerton
AdventHealth Dade City
AdventHealth Daytona Beach
AdventHealth DeLand
AdventHealth Fish Memorial
AdventHealth Heart of Florida
AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach
AdventHealth North Pinellas
AdventHealth Ocala
AdventHealth Palm Coast
AdventHealth Waterman
AdventHealth Wauchula
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
AdventHealth Zephyrhills
Universal Health Services, Inc.
Wellington Regional Medical Center
Manatee Healthcare System
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Ambulatory Surgery Centers:
Manatee Diagnostic Center Arcadia
Manatee Diagnostic Center Pointe West
Manatee Diagnostic Center Riverside
Manatee Diagnostic Center Parrish
Palms Westside Clinic
Westlake Emergency Room
Fruitville Emergency Room
Physician Networks:
Wellington Physicians Alliance
Manatee Physicians Alliance
Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center
SandyPines Residential Treatment Center
Coral Shores Behavioral Health
Suncoast Behavioral Health Center
Palm Shores Behavioral Health Center
Windmoor Healthcare of Clearwater
Central Florida Behavioral Hospital
La Amistad Behavioral Health Services
University Behavioral Center
Palm Point Behavioral Center
The Vines Hospital
Wekiva Springs Center
River Point Behavioral Health
Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital
Gulf Coast Treatment Center
Okaloosa Youth Academy
Baycare Health Systems
Bartow Regional Medical Center
BayCare Alliant Hospital
Mease Countryside Hospital
Mease Dunedin Hospital
Morton Plant Hospital
Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
South Florida Baptist Hospital
St. Anthony’s Hospital
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
St. Joseph’s Hospital
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North
St. Joseph’s Hospital-South
St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital
Winter Haven Hospital
Winter Haven Women’s Hospital
Community Health Systems
Bayfront Health Brooksville
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte
Bayfront Health Punta Gorda
Bayfront Health Seven Rivers
Bayfront Health Spring Hill
Lower Keys Medical Center
North Okaloosa Medical Center
Physicians Regional Healthcare System – Collier
Physicians Regional Healthcare System – Pine Ridge
Santa Rosa Medical Center
Venice Regional Bayfront Health
Tenet Health
CareSpot Urgent Care – Miami Gardens
CareSpot Urgent Care – Pembroke Pines
CareSpot Urgent Care – West Pines
Coral Gables Hospital
Hialeah Hospital
North Shore Medical Center
Palmetto General Hospital
West Boca Medical Center
Delray Medical Center
Florida Medical Center, a campus of North Shore
Baptist Health
Kendall – Baptist Children’s Hospital
Kendall – Baptist Hospital
Kendall – Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Coral Gables (Doctors Hospital) – Doctors Hospital
Homestead – Homestead Hospital
South Miami – South Miami Hospital
West Kendall Baptist Hospital
Orlando Health
Orlando Health Horizon West Hospital
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg
Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital
Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center
Orlando Health South Lake Hospital
Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital
Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital
Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
Orlando Health — Health Central Hospital
Ascension Healthcare
Ascension St. Vincent’s Clay County Hospital
Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside Hospital
Performance Orthopedics and Spine Specialty Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent’s
Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside Hospital
Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Family Birth Place
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast
Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola
Ascension Sacred Heart Maternity and Women’s Center
Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Indian River Hospital
Martin Health at St. Lucie West
Martin North Hospital
Martin South Hospital
Tradition Hospital
Health First, Inc
Cape Canaveral Hospital
Holmes Regional Medical Center
Palm Bay Hospital
Viera Hospital
