Comments on: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html#comment-52151 Anonymous Sat, 19 Feb 2005 19:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2005/02/17878.html#comment-52151 I mistyped. Doctors win 3 out of 4 times at trial.<br /><br />So can we please stop the "We shouldn't have to be perfect" cry? It's clear neither the public, or the law, requires that.<br /><br />Has America's highest paid profession ever been so whiny before? I mistyped. Doctors win 3 out of 4 times at trial.

So can we please stop the “We shouldn’t have to be perfect” cry? It’s clear neither the public, or the law, requires that.

Has America’s highest paid profession ever been so whiny before?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html#comment-52150 Anonymous Sat, 19 Feb 2005 05:06:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2005/02/17878.html#comment-52150 Why is anyone talking about perfection? Perfection is not now, nor has it ever been, the standard in a medical malpractice case. The standard is based on negligence, usually defined further as a reasonable standard of care given the area. In other words, you don't get to claim you're entitled to NYC treatment in rural West Virginia. This "perfection" cry is just a deflection meant to inflame, with no real basis in fact.<br /><br />What's more, it's clear that juries don't require perfection, considering the physician wins 2 out of 4 times. And the vast majority of physicians have never been sued. What's more, a lawsuit, even a successful one, is not "goodbye career." There are many physicians with multiple judgments who have never been disciplined by their state boards and are still practicing today. <br /><br />And Dot Bar, you'd do well to check the facts as well. Personal injury and tort filings, when adjusted for inflation, are down 8% since 1975. And have been dropping in real numbers since 1996. <br /><br />The only suits in our "sue happy" society that are increasing are businesses suing businesses. But no one is proposing to limit those. <br /><br />But hey, don't let the facts get in the way. Why is anyone talking about perfection? Perfection is not now, nor has it ever been, the standard in a medical malpractice case. The standard is based on negligence, usually defined further as a reasonable standard of care given the area. In other words, you don’t get to claim you’re entitled to NYC treatment in rural West Virginia. This “perfection” cry is just a deflection meant to inflame, with no real basis in fact.

What’s more, it’s clear that juries don’t require perfection, considering the physician wins 2 out of 4 times. And the vast majority of physicians have never been sued. What’s more, a lawsuit, even a successful one, is not “goodbye career.” There are many physicians with multiple judgments who have never been disciplined by their state boards and are still practicing today.

And Dot Bar, you’d do well to check the facts as well. Personal injury and tort filings, when adjusted for inflation, are down 8% since 1975. And have been dropping in real numbers since 1996.

The only suits in our “sue happy” society that are increasing are businesses suing businesses. But no one is proposing to limit those.

But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way.

]]> By: Dot Barhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html#comment-52149 Dot Bar Sat, 19 Feb 2005 02:51:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2005/02/17878.html#comment-52149 I'd rather have lots of imperfect doctors than no doctors. And it is true that doctors, like everyone, should admit when they have made a mistake, but maybe they don't because we pratically send a lynch mob after them. ONe mistake admitted and goodbye career. That would be the fault of our sue-happy society. I’d rather have lots of imperfect doctors than no doctors. And it is true that doctors, like everyone, should admit when they have made a mistake, but maybe they don’t because we pratically send a lynch mob after them. ONe mistake admitted and goodbye career. That would be the fault of our sue-happy society.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html#comment-52147 Anonymous Fri, 18 Feb 2005 22:23:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2005/02/17878.html#comment-52147 But alas, the patient gains insight. The doctor is human and makes mistakes, this is true. The arrogance of the profession will soon be altered, however. It will become apparent that patients will not treat you like gods any longer and you will be held accountable for errors just as all "humans" are. It is not about blame. It is about integrity and looking at your "human" self in the mirror in the morning. Your statement,"the doctor remains human...so lives will be lost"....is quite chilling. A suggested reading: "Medical Errors and Medical Narcissism" by Banja. But alas, the patient gains insight. The doctor is human and makes mistakes, this is true. The arrogance of the profession will soon be altered, however. It will become apparent that patients will not treat you like gods any longer and you will be held accountable for errors just as all “humans” are. It is not about blame. It is about integrity and looking at your “human” self in the mirror in the morning. Your statement,”the doctor remains human…so lives will be lost”….is quite chilling. A suggested reading: “Medical Errors and Medical Narcissism” by Banja.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html#comment-52146 Anonymous Fri, 18 Feb 2005 21:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2005/02/17878.html#comment-52146 But alas, the doctor remains human...so lives will be lost. NO ONE is perfect, NO DOCTOR is perfect and mistakes will always be made. What we need is a system that tries to reduce the mistakes being made and not one that is always trying to blame someone. There will always be bad outcomes. As we say in surgery, if you've never had to return a patient to the OR for post op bleeding, then you haven't operated on enough people yet. But alas, the doctor remains human…so lives will be lost. NO ONE is perfect, NO DOCTOR is perfect and mistakes will always be made. What we need is a system that tries to reduce the mistakes being made and not one that is always trying to blame someone. There will always be bad outcomes. As we say in surgery, if you’ve never had to return a patient to the OR for post op bleeding, then you haven’t operated on enough people yet.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2005/02/doctors-are-going-to-make-mistakes.html#comment-52144 Anonymous Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:32:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2005/02/17878.html#comment-52144 Kevin,<br />When lawyers make mistakes, people lose money. When doctors make mistakes, they lose lives. There is a huge difference here. I hope you never have to learn the hard way. You would feel differently...I KNOW. Kevin,
When lawyers make mistakes, people lose money. When doctors make mistakes, they lose lives. There is a huge difference here. I hope you never have to learn the hard way. You would feel differently…I KNOW.

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