How Flaws in Electronic Health Records May Lead to Medical Malpractice

Electronic health records (EHRs) have transformed how healthcare providers manage patient care across the country. While these digital systems promise improved efficiency and accuracy in documenting medical histories, test results, and treatment plans, they can also introduce serious risks when system flaws intersect with healthcare decisions. When providers rely too heavily on potentially flawed EHR data or fail to verify critical patient information, these digital errors can lead to medical malpractice that causes serious harm to patients.

At The Law Offices of Peter T Nicholl, our experienced medical malpractice attorneys in Maryland understand how EHR-related errors can devastate patients and their families. Our track record of successfully handling complex medical malpractice cases positions us to help victims seek compensation when healthcare providers fail to prevent or catch EHR-related mistakes that compromise patient care.

Request your FREE no-risk consultation today: (410) 297-0271

What Makes Electronic Health Records Prone to Errors?

Electronic health record systems face multiple challenges that can compromise patient safety. Healthcare providers must understand these inherent vulnerabilities to avoid relying solely on EHR systems when making critical medical decisions.

• Patient Record Access: When multiple providers access and update patient records, critical information may be entered incorrectly or missed entirely.
• Medication Alert Systems: Complex alert systems may cause providers to miss important warnings about drug interactions or allergies.
• Alert System Fatigue: When providers get too many alerts, they may tune them out, overlooking important warnings that could impact patient safety.
• System Updates: When healthcare facilities update their systems, patient information may transfer incorrectly, requiring providers to verify critical health information.
• Department Communication: When different departments use separate systems, critical patient information may not transfer properly between providers.
• Auto-Filled Information: When systems automatically fill in patient information, providers must verify the accuracy to prevent treatment errors.

How Do EHR Errors Lead to Medical Malpractice?

Not all EHR errors constitute medical malpractice. However, healthcare providers may commit malpractice when they fail to take reasonable steps to verify information or prevent known EHR-related errors from harming patients. Here are critical situations where EHR errors can become medical malpractice:

Medication Errors and Patient Harm

• System Limitation: EHR systems may display incorrect medication information or fail to show drug interactions.
• Provider Negligence: Failing to verify current medications directly with patients or ignoring drug interaction. warnings, which can lead to either dangerous overdoses or inadequate treatment of serious conditions.

Missed Diagnoses From Lost Results

• System Limitation: Test results may not appear in the correct patient file or become lost during transfers.
• Provider Negligence: Failing to track ordered tests or follow up on missing results.

Wrong Patient Treatment

• System Limitation: Similar names or record numbers may cause confusion in EHR systems.
• Provider Negligence: Failing to verify patient identity before providing treatment.

Incomplete Medical History

• System Limitation: EHR systems may not display complete patient histories.
• Provider Negligence: Making treatment decisions without verifying critical health information directly with patients.

What Types of Injuries Result From EHR-Related Medical Malpractice?

When healthcare providers fail to catch or prevent EHR-related errors, patients can suffer severe injuries. These injuries support medical malpractice claims when they result from a provider’s failure to take reasonable precautions:

• Progression of cancer or other diseases or injuries due lost test results, or wrong results being reviewed.
• Severe allergic reactions when the provider has not verified allergies to medications.
• Medical complications, including organ damage or worsening of a condition due to medication errors.
• Dangerous complications, such as stroke, heart attacks or death resulting from dangerous drug interactions.
• Medical harm resulting from wrong patient treatment.

When Can Healthcare Providers Be Liable for Harm Resulting From EHR Flaws?

Healthcare providers assume responsibility for verifying critical patient information, regardless of EHR system limitations. While electronic health records can malfunction or display incorrect information, providers must take reasonable steps to prevent patient harm. Liability arises when providers:

• Rely solely on EHR data without verifying patient identity
• Fail to verify a patient’s current medications, allergies and other critical information
• Ignore missing or inconsistent information that could indicate a wrong account or bigger system errors
• Skip basic safety checks because of system limitations
• Dismiss important EHR warnings or alerts without documentation

Why Call Our Maryland Medical Malpractice Law Firm for Legal Help?

When healthcare providers fail to take proper precautions while using electronic health record systems, patients can suffer serious, even life-threatening harm. If you or a loved one sustained injuries or preventable medical illness due to EHR-related medical errors, we can help determine if medical malpractice occurred.

At The Law Offices of Peter T Nicholl, we are familiar with the duty of care healthcare providers owe and know how to investigate where they may have failed to meet acceptable standards of care.

Contact our Maryland law office today for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no upfront costs and no fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Call our Trusted Maryland Law firm for help with your Medical Malpractice claim: (410) 297-0271