It is estimated that between 210,000 and 440,000 people are killed or injured due to preventable medical errors in Montana and across the United States each year. Many people assume that busy hospital emergency rooms are to blame for these statistics; however, medical personnel in primary care and outpatient facilities also share the blame.
Primary care doctors, outpatient facilities cause medical errors
GPS devices are wonderful but dangerous
You might be one of many Montana drivers who use a global positioning system to help you navigate unfamiliar roadways. While such devices are becoming more commonplace, many people still find them almost magical. You plug in some information and a voice tells you how to get there. The only problem is GPS devices are not always reliable and may place you at an increased risk for collision.
Some memory loss traced to TBIs rather than Alzheimer's
Montana residents who know someone who suffers from memory loss should know that not all such cases stem from Alzheimer's disease. Some can be the result of a traumatic brain injury from the past. A new UCLA study has found that MRI scans can be critical in distinguishing between the two causes and in thus preventing Alzheimer's misdiagnoses.
Fewer crash fatalities, but pedestrians face higher risk
For many drivers in Montana, the reported decline in roadway deaths in 2018 is relieving news pointing to greater safety on the roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 35,560 people were killed in motor vehicle collisions last year, a 2.4% decline over 2017 figures, which themselves reflected a decrease over the prior year. According to the NHTSA, these positive statistics are continuing with the first half of 2019 showing a 3.4% decline in highway fatalities. At the same time, however, pedestrians and cyclists may have additional cause for concern.
