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...
Month: November 2020
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....
Failing to diagnose a stroke can be fatal
When you visit a doctor, it is because you need their expert advice. While you might be able to guess what is wrong with you, they are the ones who spent years studying and practicing medicine. So, if they tell you not to worry, chances are, you will likely believe...
Why do medication errors happen?
We've talked before about the consequences of medication errors, but never why they happen in the first place. To err is human. That is the title of an Institute of Medicine report into medication errors. When you're a doctor or a pharmacist, however, a mistake when...
People in the hospital get hurt due to staff medication mistakes
When you have to stay in the hospital, you probably assume you will get a better standard of care than you could provide for yourself at home. There will be someone else there to monitor you and ensure you receive the right treatment. Unfortunately, medical...
The wrong dose of pain medication can be deadly
If you were to ask a doctor about the most important medical advances in recent decades, they will probably reference a cutting-edge procedure or medication in their field of expertise. However, if you push them from the most important general advances, improvements...
How digital charts set patients up for substandard care
The medical industry had high hopes for switching over from written charts to electronic charts once computers became the most desirable and safest way to store data. Written medical charts created all kinds of issues. They made it difficult for one doctor to share...
