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Most physicians do excellent work most of the time. They help heal our illnesses, and cure our woes. They fix our broken limbs, stitch our children when they fall, and deliver our babies. But on occasions, physicians, like everyone else, make mistakes.
Most physicians do excellent work most of the time. They help heal our illnesses, and cure our woes. They fix our broken limbs, stitch our children when they fall, and deliver our babies. But on occasions, physicians, like everyone else, make mistakes.
According to one recent and much publicized study involving physicians, errors cause between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths annually in hospitals in the United States. A parallel study involving nurses showed 33% were aware of at least 1 incident of patient harm caused by physician error in the previous month alone.
Another recent article currently posted on the web page for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (www.acog.org) addresses concerns of residents. The study reports that nearly 6 out of 10 residents are concerned that their long hours may impact upon patient care.
So how does all of this affect you as the patient?
First, take an active role in your care. Do not rely blindly on what any health care provider tells you. There are numerous sources available for you to research different options. There are numerous internet based search engines that will allow you to understand your condition, and learn what other health care providers and patients are doing in similar cases. Two such search engines are (a) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi ; and (b) http://www.emedicine.com.
Second, investigate your physician and learn about his/her credentials. Has your physician performed the procedure before? How many years training does she have? Has he been sued before? Has she been the subject of a disciplinary proceeding? The point is not to rely simply on the physician’s bedside manner.
Third, if and when a mistake is made, act quickly. Use your common sense. A bad result does not necessarily mean that malpractice occurred. But it may. If something occurred which you did not expect, or were not advised of, there may be malpractice. Learn your rights promptly, and take action.
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All health care providers are human, and all humans make mistakes. No one – either because of education or training – is immune from committing error. If you have been victimized by a medical mistake, learn your rights.
