Sid Schwab shares his thoughts on the matter:
Now, far as I know, it’s a pretty-much universal recommendation of malpractice defense attorneys, and insurers, that surgeons NOT record operations. Why? Simple: in the same way that that barf-inducing, gargantuan photo swung a jury, so have videos, even — hard as it might be to believe — when nothing was all that significant. Hands shake instruments around. Bleeding occurs; it’s cauterized in an effluvium of smoke that can fill the screen. Things are picked up and dropped; bile and stones run out of gallbladders. It happens. But, in the context of a patient having some unspecified post-operative problems, much can be made of these images when they’re on a big screen in living color.
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{ 3 comments }
Yep, perfect operations with perfect outcomes would have a substantial proportion of people passed out or holding a barf bag. Have the plaintiff provide some theatrics during the video viewing and the verdict is assured.
You know this, of course, from trying so many cases, right?
This reminds me of the outcry of police against taping their actions. Yet when cameras are in cars, you get better police work, a better evidentiary record, and more convictions.
Why do physicians think they’re the only people with intelligence and the ability to withstand a little blood? Is the development of unwarranted arrogance just part of the training?
It’s quite common to see videos of surgeries on TV. Nothing could be more off-putting than seeing a face-lift, but there they are on the Discovery Channel. My 13 year old son has seen a childbirth video in his health class.
Both plastic surgeons and ob/gyns have high lawsuit rates, but the public is allowed to see their handiwork in all its bloody gore. As an adult patient I resent being patronized by anyone, especially by my physician. I suspect there are other motives why surgeons want to suppress visual evidence of their operations besides documenting possible mistakes – like the patient finding out that all or much of the operation was actually handed off to doctors in training.
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