You know the importance of doing some research on your surgeon before you schedule your operation. How long have they been performing this type of surgery? How many times have they done it? What’s their success rate? Do they have any malpractice settlements or...
Year: 2020
Tips for getting your doctor to listen to you
As soon as you step into the doctor’s office, you can tell that they’re very busy. Maybe they’re on the phone, maybe they just look flustered or maybe they tell you that they only have a minute. It seems unfair to you, as you’re not getting the attention you deserve...
How often do doctors misdiagnose cancer?
If there's one sentiment that doctors often repeat about cancer, it's that early detection is key. Any delay in diagnosis means that a patient's prognosis will decline. You should know how common it is for cancer to be misdiagnosed as something else and which cancers...
Could medical diagnosis errors be reduced?
No matter what career you are in, you will make errors from time to time. However, when someone works as a doctor, they cannot afford to make mistakes. According to a study by the John Hopkins Armstrong Institute, U.S. doctors make around 100,000 diagnosis errors each...
Racism and sexism can affect the medical care you receive
Medical doctors are among the most highly educated of all professionals. Many people tend to think of doctors as more ethical than people in other professions because they make a career out of caring for others. Unfortunately, medicine doesn't automatically make...
What outcomes can you expect when your newborn has a shoulder dystocia injury?
It's not uncommon for individuals to see childbirth emergencies depicted on television and think producers are playing them up for the cameras. Many believe that the worst that can happen is for them to need a cesarean section (C-section). There are far worse outcomes...
Artificial intelligence could help surgeons reduce errors
Mistakes on the job will happen -- but some jobs don't leave much room for error. Surgeons, for example, always need to be on top of their game. A single careless slip can be a disaster for their patient. Is there such a thing as a perfect surgeon? People may tell you...
Telemedicine carries a considerable risk
You have probably spent more time than ever this year talking to friends, family and colleagues via video. If you have, you will know it is not the same as the real thing. While there is less room for misinterpretation than chatting via email or text messaging, you...
Medical errors are more common than most people know
Mistakes by medical professionals kill more people than anything other than heart disease and cancer, according to a 2016 report by John Hopkins Medicine. That is worrying, considering doctors are the people you seek out when you are ill. The study urged a rethink on...
Internal bleeding is a risky side effect of some surgical mistakes
People undergo surgery for both medical necessity and personal preference. Whether you have an elective surgery or a critically necessary one, you expect that the surgeon will perform the procedure carefully and that your recovery will be relatively smooth....
