MA ’alarm fatigue’ suit settled

The family of a man who died at Massachusetts General Hospital when nurses did not respond to alarms on his cardiac monitor—a death that focused national attention on the dangers of "alarm fatigue" among hospital staff—settled its case against the hospital for $850,000. Mass. General and the patient's family reached an agreement in May, but the private settlement was never filed in court and the parties have not discussed it publicly until now. “Much to Mass. General’s credit, they recognized the error and tried to do right by the family,” said their lawyer, Boston attorney Andrew Meyer. "They are in good faith trying to prevent the problem from occurring in the future. The family was appreciative."