There are forty hospitals across the United States whose primary focus is the care and treatment of 1.35 million active duty military members and their families. However, many of these hospitals are ill-equipped to treat serious illnesses that may affect those they take care to treat.

Military Hospitals Experience High Medical Malpractice Rates

Military hospitals are those run by the Pentagon and military branches with the purpose of training doctors and nurses for medical treatment that is needed in combat. Many of the services align themselves with those of community hospitals by providing low-cost health care for military families. These centers primarily cater to active-duty military members and are different from Veteran's Affairs hospitals.

A review of military hospitals in the United States found:

• Higher than expected rate of surgical complications for military hospitals; and
• Over half of military hospitals performed poorly on measures of harm to mothers and babies in their maternity wards.

Two-thirds of military hospitals treated less than thirty patients each day, which is a third less than an average civilian hospital. Nine of these hospitals had less than ten patients each day. With so few patients, doctors and nurses at military hospitals are less prepared to diagnose and treat some more complex illnesses. When medical professionals cannot see many patients, they are not able to maintain and develop medical skills.

Due to the military underpinnings, less experienced doctors will take on overwhelming responsibility in order to become hospital administrators and then leave for civilian positions. As these members move up in positions, other, sometimes less experienced doctors will take their place.

Many military families do not choose to use these centers, and instead opt to get treated in civilian hospitals. As a result, the cost to operate military hospitals has put a strain on the budget of the Department of Defense.

Because of budget cuts, unexperienced doctors, and lack of patients, many military medical centers have been sued for medical malpractice surrounding mistakes that should have been caught. In 2013, military hospitals paid 21 different individuals over $500,000 each to settle their medical malpractice lawsuits.

Each person seeking medical treatment has a right to get the best possible care. Oftentimes, military medical centers require that military members and their families use their services, even when it is not the best option. For those that have experienced a medical issue due to a service provided at a military hospital, hiring a medical malpractice attorney is the first step to getting life back on track.