Your medical records are extremely important because they contain vital information about your symptoms and medical history. Inaccurate medical records seriously compromise the safety of patients who need help treating their illness or injury. For instance, faulty information about a patient’s condition and medical history could make it extremely difficult for other doctors, nurses, and medical personnel to accurately diagnose and treat a patient because they won’t have a clear view of exactly what is wrong with the patient.

The reality is that the medical personnel at many hospitals and doctors’ offices are overworked due to understaffing. This can lead to mistakes that should be easily avoidable, such as listing inaccurate information on a patient’s medical charts.

If you or a loved one was misdiagnosed by a medical professional, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer in Birmingham about your legal options. The experienced medical malpractice lawyers at Salter & Ferguson are prepared to help you pursue financial compensation for your injuries or illness. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Without access to accurate information on your medical records, doctors, surgeons, physicians, and nurses may struggle to diagnose and treat your illness. Here are some of the specific ways that inaccurate record keeping can result in catastrophic medical errors:

Incorrect Symptoms

Medical records that list incorrect symptoms can lead to an inaccurate diagnosis. Depending on the patient’s actual medical condition, the failure to diagnose can potentially prove fatal.

Wrong Medical Condition

When the medical records indicate that the patient is suffering from the wrong medical condition, it may be impossible for doctors to adequately treat the patient.

Wrong Patient

It’s surprisingly easy for overworked doctors and nurses to mistake one patient’s medical records for the medical records of a different patient who happens to have a similar name. This can have devastating consequences, especially if the medical provider prescribes medication to which you are allergic.

Inaccurate Treatment History

Your treatment history matters because a health provider needs to know what kind of medical treatment is likely to be effective in combatting your illness or disease. If your medical records list the wrong treatment history, your condition could get significantly worse while doctors provide ineffective treatment going forward.