Comments on: The misconception of "medical error" http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/08/misconception-of-medical-error.html medical blog Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:31:26 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/08/misconception-of-medical-error.html/comment-page-1#comment-66681 Anonymous Thu, 31 Aug 2006 10:41:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/08/the-misconception-of-medical-error.html#comment-66681 On the statement "One problem physicians face, Dr. Gallagher said, is that patients may fail to distinguish errors from unavoidable medical problems". Maybe so, but before a lawsuit can be filed, at least here is Florida, a physician must review the medical records and state that an error was committed that resulted in below-the-standard of care treatment and possible injury. So once again, we have a case of doctors NOT policing doctors. Patients may think they've been hurt, but they must have medical backup to say so. The next step is the attorney who has access to stables and stables of physicians who will provide them with the affidavits showing that a medical error occurred, whether it did or didn't, in some cases. The responsibility of medical errors falls upon the physician, both in the making and the review confirming the error. Patients can't do that! On the statement “One problem physicians face, Dr. Gallagher said, is that patients may fail to distinguish errors from unavoidable medical problems”. Maybe so, but before a lawsuit can be filed, at least here is Florida, a physician must review the medical records and state that an error was committed that resulted in below-the-standard of care treatment and possible injury. So once again, we have a case of doctors NOT policing doctors. Patients may think they’ve been hurt, but they must have medical backup to say so. The next step is the attorney who has access to stables and stables of physicians who will provide them with the affidavits showing that a medical error occurred, whether it did or didn’t, in some cases. The responsibility of medical errors falls upon the physician, both in the making and the review confirming the error. Patients can’t do that!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/08/misconception-of-medical-error.html/comment-page-1#comment-66627 Anonymous Wed, 30 Aug 2006 01:52:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/08/the-misconception-of-medical-error.html#comment-66627 "Leaving a sponge in a surgical patient? Reading a blood panel result incorrectly? "<br/><br/>These are the RARE EXceptions. Like a plane taking off from the wrong runway causing a crash. Most lawsuits are due to bad outcomes. Or stupidity. Most docs don't realize you should admit every patient that comes to the ER with chest pain, not because it's medically necessary, but because if you discharge them, they will go out and use cocaine again, and you will be responsible if they crash. I admit them just to keep them from using afterwards when my name is on their chart. And I'm still getting sued for one of these. “Leaving a sponge in a surgical patient? Reading a blood panel result incorrectly? “

These are the RARE EXceptions. Like a plane taking off from the wrong runway causing a crash. Most lawsuits are due to bad outcomes. Or stupidity. Most docs don’t realize you should admit every patient that comes to the ER with chest pain, not because it’s medically necessary, but because if you discharge them, they will go out and use cocaine again, and you will be responsible if they crash. I admit them just to keep them from using afterwards when my name is on their chart. And I’m still getting sued for one of these.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/08/misconception-of-medical-error.html/comment-page-1#comment-66621 Anonymous Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:28:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/08/the-misconception-of-medical-error.html#comment-66621 Leaving a sponge in a surgical patient? Reading a blood panel result incorrectly? These are errors. It should be a felony to have knowledge of such errors and not report them. Leaving a sponge in a surgical patient? Reading a blood panel result incorrectly? These are errors. It should be a felony to have knowledge of such errors and not report them.

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