Doctors see mistakes, don't speak up

[Lindacooks]

Here's the problem with medical malpractice rates.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&e=16&u=/nm/health_mistakes_dc

80% of doctors and nurses see mistakes, but only 10% speak up about it? This covering up for others is the reason medical malpractice insurance rates are so high.

I saw this over and over again first hand, from incompetent doctors bungling my grandparent's care (one left a catheter in too long, despite nurse's warnings in it; this led to pneumonia and his death) and my husband's.

My husband had cancer that went undetected for 7 MONTHS as it spread and those incompetent doctors were testing him for everything from lactose intolerance to tapeworms. It was a TUMOR causing the pain, and they missed it - he lost 70 pounds during that time and made his recover much, much harder.

[Selteri]

1. I agree

Though I was in the uncommon case of having something that they didn't recognize because they'd never seen it due to the rarity of the virus... too bad it took them until 6 months after I'd recovered from it that my doctor figured out what it was because someone else reported it in a trade journal.

[ebayfool]

2. Doctors see mistakes & frequently cover up. Until they are willing to ...

police their own, they have no right to bitch @ malpractice rates. I had the scenario of a botched surgery on my grandson. The docs in the hospital literally RAN for cover when we tried to get answers (ie - why is his stoma/intestine turning black & mushy, retracting into his stomach, stinking like dead meat, why did doc order feeding resumed when the stoma isn't functional, etc?). It was like the the damn keystone cops chase scenes, trying to get anyone to help. Hospital admin all of a sudden on vacation (even though receptionist had already told us he was there). The only people that had a true concern for the boy were 2 nurses that (separately & independent of each other) told me to get him transfered, even if we had to carry him out to another hospital ourselves. One outright said he would not live if we didn't get him out of there. She said 'doctors bury their mistakes' - get him to someone else for him to have a chance of surviving. I had to promise both of them that I would never use their names - they would be finished in medical field for speaking out. I never have. My point, not one doctor was willing to be honest & say their colleague had screwed up. Many other doctors offices (not the docs themselves, their office & nursing staff) we've talked to afterward said they had been warned by their MALPRACTICE INSURERS not to take my grandson on & to not offer an opinion. They aren't the guardians of the public good that I used to believe in, but I love most nurses absolutely to death! Nurses have come through so many times, in so many ways - I can never thank them enough!

Most docs, on the other hand - hmmm, deserve to be treated by each other. That's the vilest I can think of that's postable on a public forum!

on edit: I did find a doc that was able to remove the gangrene & damaged intestine, as well as fashion an ileostomy for my boy, to whom I am eternally grateful. However, even though he ranted @ the number of people that the same doc had "butchered" (his word) & he had ended up repairing - he declined speaking out @ it. Bad form, & his hospital relied on alot of 'business' from the other's hospital. This was from one of the most reputable & honored gastro surgeons in the country, at one of the largest, well reknown medical center/teaching facilities in Los Angeles. The 'butcher' has been free to continue his hackery since. As long as they don't police their own, they are all complicent in the damage to our loved ones. The doc that saved my boy's life - he has my gratitude, not my respect. He has his own particular form of Karma - that no matter how many he does well, are outweighed by those his silence hurts.

[Greylyn58]

3. I have some experience also.

My grandfather suffered from asthma and in his later years from emphysema due to smoking. He became ill with pneumonia and was in the hospital for 3 months. He was in intensive care for most of that time and was finally getting better. Then his physical therapist came in one day to do her usual chest thumping to help loosen the gunk in his lungs and she had a slight cold.

Anyway, she gave it to him and he died shortly after that. She should never have come near him, but she did. To this day I don't know why my mom never complained or did something about it.

I think doctors and nurses are like the police dept. in that they try to correct problems from within and anyone speaking out is a traitor.

I think that's why they don't speak up.