An Early Discharge from the Hospital Could Lead to Future Problems

 Posted on April 08, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Anyone who has spent time in a hospital can attest to the relief they felt when they were discharged and allowed to go home. Even those staying in a hospital for a short time can quickly start to feel homesick and grow tired of the bustle and noise of a busy hospital. Although they can be uncomfortable, hospital stays are often a requirement for patients needing round-the-clock care for more serious illnesses and injuries.

Early hospital discharge can lead to worsened medical conditions and unnecessary pain and suffering. Those that result in injuries to the patient can often open the door to medical and hospital malpractice claims. If a premature hospital discharge harmed you, our skilled Rockford, IL medical malpractice attorneys will investigate, gather evidence, and pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.

Questionable Early Hospital Discharges Put Lives in Danger

For most patients, the news that they can leave the confines of a hospital bed and return home is met with happiness. After all, if they are allowed to go home, their condition must have improved dramatically. Patients assume that the doctors and nurses on staff at the hospital would never discharge someone who is not well enough to go home. The tragic reality is that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals do make mistakes. Sometimes, patients who are not ready to leave the hospital are discharged anyway. After being discharged, many patients are reluctant to go back to the hospital if their condition worsens or does not improve.

Even hospitals that are not-for-profit rely on income generated through medical services. Hospitals must continually find ways to reduce costs. Many experts believe that cost-cutting efforts and other factors have caused an increase in patients being discharged from the hospital too soon. Sometimes, patients who are simply staying in the hospital for observation are discharged quickly to create space for those who require more intensive care or numerous diagnostic tests, as the latter group typically generates more income.

In other cases, hospital staff are simply careless. Whatever the reason, a wide range of harm can result from releasing a patient too early.

Readmissions

A study showed that almost 20 percent of hospital patients suffer some kind of adverse event within three weeks of being discharged. It is estimated that almost 75 percent of those adverse effects could have been avoided or improved had the patient remained in the hospital longer. Nearly 20 percent of discharged Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.

Infections

Many hospital patients undergo surgery during their stay. Blood draws and IV lines require needles to pierce the skin. Some patients need a Foley catheter to drain urine. Any invasive procedure has the potential to cause an infection. Other patients enter the hospital due to injuries that could become infected. However, signs of infection may not appear immediately.

Patients who are released too early may not realize they have an infection. Staying in the hospital longer could allow doctors and nurses to identify and treat the infection before it worsens the patient’s overall condition. Undiagnosed and untreated infections can lead to organ damage, long-term chronic conditions, sepsis, and death.

Failure to Diagnose

Many injuries have delayed symptoms, and a delay in treatment can cause significant harm. Examples include fractures, whiplash, and internal bleeding. Several illnesses have similar symptoms but require different treatments. Diagnostic tests are often necessary to determine the exact illness or injury a patient is experiencing.

Almost 40 percent of patients released from the hospital have pending diagnostic test results, and a similar number of patients are instructed to undergo a comprehensive diagnostic workup as an outpatient after their discharge. After a patient is released, he or she may not follow up with additional testing. In other cases, radiologists and others misread diagnostic tests, resulting in inaccurate diagnoses, or the team in charge of the patient’s care fails to provide the correct treatment for a diagnosed condition.

Sending a patient home without an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan is negligent. The patient’s condition can worsen quickly, sometimes leading to death.

Adverse Reactions to Medications

Many hospital patients are prescribed new medications, and their current prescriptions and over-the-counter remedies may be changed without a full medication reconciliation. Adverse drug reactions and medication discrepancies can occur after hospital discharge, especially if outpatient healthcare providers do not receive timely patient information from the hospital.

These issues may mean that a patient’s condition is not being treated properly or that drug interactions could harm them. Not keeping a patient hospitalized until adverse reactions become apparent puts her or him at great risk.

Wrongful Death

Sadly, an early discharge can lead to a patient’s death. Whether through undiagnosed or misdiagnosed ailments, infections, adverse drug events, or other causes, these deaths might have been prevented by keeping the patient in the hospital until discharge was medically warranted.

How Attorneys Use Hospital Records to Support Your Medical Malpractice Claim

Doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other healthcare providers are expected to meet high standards of care. In every situation, there are accepted medical practices, diagnostic tests, and treatment options. Medical negligence is making mistakes that another similarly qualified healthcare provider would not have made in the same situation, with those errors being the direct cause of the harm you suffered. That negligence could be grounds for your medical malpractice claim.

Your attorney uses hospital records to look for evidence that providers deviated from care standards. We examine your chart, noting things like:

• Dates and times of hospital care events
• Actions, by which we can see omissions, deviations, and discrepancies
• Decisions made, and by whom
• Who was responsible for each aspect of your hospital care
• The thoroughness of written communications between providers
• Written communications you received

We use the evidence obtained from your records to support your claim, demonstrating the cause of the harm and the impact of the early discharge on your condition. We also use this evidence to dispute any witness testimony that deviates from what is contained in the records.

Damages That Could Be Available If an Early Discharge Harmed You

Patients who are released too early have different reactions, and your damages are based on your specific losses. You probably needed additional medical treatment and more time away from work. You could have experienced mental and emotional anguish that diminished your quality of life. Your attorney will carefully calculate your eligible damages, which could include:

• Current and future medical bills and lost income
• Costs associated with ongoing care and replacement services
• Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Other forms of pain and suffering

Wrongful death claims could provide additional damages that address losses suffered by surviving family members. Medical malpractice cases are complicated, and not just any attorney can handle them successfully. Our firm has a solid track record of winning even the most complex medical and hospital malpractice cases. If you hope to get the highest available amount of compensation, call us today.

Contact Our Skilled Winnebago County, IL Hospital Malpractice Lawyers

Many times, when patients are discharged from a hospital or other healthcare facility too soon, they experience serious medical issues or injuries once they are home. Often, these problems would not have occurred if the patient had stayed in the hospital.

If you were discharged from the hospital too soon and have suffered as a result, a medical malpractice claim can allow you to receive financial compensation for the damages caused by the hospital’s negligence. The Rockford, IL medical malpractice attorneys at Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, have decades of experience successfully representing clients across Illinois. To schedule your complimentary consultation, call us today at 815-215-7561 or send us a confidential message online.