Medical Injustices In Radiology

“Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “HIPPA.” “HIPPA who?” “Sorry, I can’t tell you that information…” Sadly, no one has ever been credited for that joke, but that joke, while funny, also has some truth to it. However, HIPAA breaches and other accidents that can occur in radiology, are no laughing matter. Jim Lipcamon of the Diagnostic Imaging branch of Modern Medicine Network, referenced a New York Times article that stated, “it is estimated that medical errors may cause over 250,000 deaths per year”. Lipcamon’s article goes on to state that there are three main causes of medical errors, which are human errors, risky behavior, and reckless behavior. It is this generation of radiographers that needs to be the change. It is this generation’s duty to

Accidents such as HIPAA breaches, patient falls, MRI projectiles, overexposure, bruising patients, and personal exposure to gamma rays are all preventable “faux pas” that are more prevalent than one would think. All it takes is the radiographer paying as much attention as possible and being more aware of surroundings and situations. In the past five years, there have been at least two major HIPAA breaches in the United States that stem from radiology departments. One major breach, according to Erin McCann of HealthcareITNews, put 17,300 patients’ medical information at risk in March 2013. Raleigh Orthopedic Clinic contracted a third-party vendor to transfer old x-ray films into electronic images. The clinic never received the electronically formatted x-rays, and believed they were betrayed. The vendor sold the films to a

A mammography tech learned that the hard way in October 2008. According to Louise Dickson on timescolonist.com, Joy McKerr sued the clinic itself and the mammo tech she had, due to outright negligence. The article states that during the exam, she was in extreme pain and asked the tech to stop the procedure. The tech did not listen and continued anyway, causing McKerr to swell and bruise almost instantly, and the injury did not heal for several months. The patient was diagnosed with breast cancer four months later, which she believed to be caused by this issue. Dickson stated, “She sought substantial damages for pain and suffering, a shortened life expectancy, and damages for loss of income,” and McKerr won her case and was awarded