In Newsweek September 17, 2012, John Hopkins surgeon, Marty Makary addressed a number of problems within our healthcare system that employees do not talk about. Professionals are aware of these problems but they do not speak of these issues. Fear prevents them from speaking. For the few that do, they are fired. Termination is then blamed on other factors.
This is about educating people to take their life and healthcare under control. Save your life and those you care about. Please read this interesting article 3 page article. Click on the link below, or cut and paste the link into your browser.
Are hospitals less safe than we think?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/09/16/are-hospitals-less-safe-than-we-think.html
John Makary, M.D. a surgeon from John Hopkins, and author of Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won’t Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care.
The article written in Newsweek by John Makary, M.D. highlights the following:
- “The number of U.S. patients killed annually by medical errors is equivalent to 4 jumbo jets crashing each week.” Would we tolerate that?
- 1 out of 5 medications, tests, & procedures unnecessary
- 30-40% healthcare expenditures fraudulent
- Prestigious hospitals have 4-5 times more surgical complications as other hospitals
- Good hospitals have areas “poorly” performing service
- Hospital outcomes hidden from public
- How can you measure if medicine is good, adequate or safe without knowledge or awareness?
- 2010 New England Journal of Medicine study 25% hospitalized patients experience preventable medical errors
- 100,000 die annually due to errors
- 6th leading cause of death, if medical errors were considered a disease
- Disparity in quality of healthcare is no secret with hospital staff
- Everyone knows about problem & few talk about it
- “Hospitals sometimes fire doctors and nurses who speak up, sending a powerful warning to the medical community at large to stay in line”
- Attributes deaths some extenuating patient circumstance
There is simply no public accountability.
New York State decreased mortality drastically as they became accountable to the public for cardiac surgeries. Check out the statistics how they improved over a couple years when they were held accountable during this study cited. Isn’t it time we hold everyone accountable, especially when it comes to our health?
Think about this article and watch the one-minute video. What will you do to keep yourself safe, healthy, and alive? How do you think we can change this problem?
Related articles
- Bye-Bye, Newsweek! (addisabram.wordpress.com)
- Dec. 31 issue, Newsweek’s last print edition: All digital after 80 years, by @thedailybeast (nextlevelofnews.com)
- Newsweek to cease print edition after 80 years (onlineathens.com)
braininjuryselfrehabilitation 
Tanveer Rauf
October 22, 2012 at 1:36 am
Hospitals, errors, lab tests, boasting, pretending and last but not the least is, coming to no conclusion is the story of every hospital everywhere. God save us from going into hands of doctors:)
brain injury self rehabilitation (BISR)
October 22, 2012 at 8:56 pm
I totally agree. Let’s just pray we stay healthy enough to make our own decisions and not need further healthcare. It does happen everywhere.
Tanveer Rauf
October 23, 2012 at 1:44 am
very true:)
philippinewanderer
October 22, 2012 at 4:05 am
Yes, I think most are aware these things happening, but how is the average person to tell?
Sent from my iPhone
brain injury self rehabilitation (BISR)
October 22, 2012 at 9:04 pm
That’s a difficult question. Sometimes patients are at their mercy, especially when in a coma and lengthy process for recovery. Let’s just all advocate and watch out for those we love. Taking control of our own healthcare is ideal, but that doesn’t happen with emergency situations. Let me ponder your question further.
buckwheatsrisk
October 22, 2012 at 9:28 pm
I woke up from a major surgery with blistered burns and no on explained or took accountability, they even went ignored at first. scary stuff.
brain injury self rehabilitation (BISR)
October 23, 2012 at 7:46 pm
Prevention of errors by having a patient advocate is helpful. Insist that everything is explained, including all medications and what they are given for. Ask as many questions as possible, and get the answers! Did you ever get any answers?
buckwheatsrisk
October 23, 2012 at 7:47 pm
yes i usually have Hubby with me..this was years ago. no i never got any answers. 😦
wendy
October 25, 2012 at 9:07 pm
It’s appalling that we can’t see statistics from hospitals. We should be able to see the “black list”.
How can we know we are choosing the right place for care.
I do ask a lot of questions of my providers now, and I ask questions of the people who check us in, the nurses…ect. Just small talk, but you soon see if they like their job, if they like their boss….people can lie, but body language says a lot.
I used to not do this. I was bounced around from doctor to doctor because my hip/back/groin was giving me a lot of trouble. The doctors couldn’t decide which type of doctor I should see. Finally I was sent to a hip doctor at a major (and well respected) medical center in Durham, NC. He was very personable, assured me he was going to help me, showed me where I needed surgery. Which I had. After surgery I was told I could do anything I wanted as long as it didn’t hurt. I went to PT, I built myself up, started doing lunges, squats….ect. Then I went to a ball game and stepped off a step wrong, and had to go back to the hip doctor. He yelled at me for doing such vigorous exercise. But his release papers said, any activity that didn’t hurt….well it didn’t hurt.
I ended up having another surgery. I’m convinced I needed neither of these surgeries. I’ve had second opinions and no one thinks they were warranted.
After the second surgery, I didn’t get better. he had an MRI done….I found out to make sure he didn’t leave anything in me. Then he called me on the phone and told me that he would not need to see me again.
Just dropped me. And my medications….and my PT….everything.
I’m proud to say that the hospital has since put this doctor under review and called me to find out how I felt about my surgery. I still see doctors at this hospital, but I’m much more cautious, as I said before. And I am relieved that the hospital was policing their doctors.
good article.
w
brain injury self rehabilitation (BISR)
October 25, 2012 at 10:49 pm
I hope you were honest when the hospital called to see how you felt about your surgery. Will you know anything regarding their review?