Doctors and Fatigue

For many doctors, especially recent medical school graduates, the realities of the medical profession can have a profound impact on their ability to safely practice. Long, sleepless shifts or frequently disrupted sleep due to on-call duty can impair both physical and mental acuity. As difficult as this can be for a doctor, patients are the ones who are at the greatest risk.

If you have suffered adverse health effects due to the failures of a fatigued doctor or surgeon, a civil lawsuit might be in your best interest. For more information concerning your legal rights, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., by calling 215-238-1130.

Statistics on Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation can substantially compromise a person’s ability to think and make decisions clearly. Considering the high stakes of the medical profession, doctors must be prepared to handle a daily case load without the additional hazard of sleep deprivation. However, among first-year residents, this is a risk of exceedingly long on-call shifts. Consider some of the following statistics:

• Sleep deprivation affects up to 10% of residents on a daily basis
• The average weekly amount of on-call hours is 56.9 total
• Surgeons noted a weekly amount of 72.5 hours of on-call hours
• The average consecutive shift without sleep is 37.6 hours

While these residents process all of the experience they gain, they certainly are not afforded the necessary sleep for their job.

Contact Us

If you have been injured because of a sleep deprived physician, you may be able to obtain financial compensation through a civil action. To discuss the details of your claim with a compassionate legal advisor, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 215-238-1130 today.