tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post879593086728413064..comments2023-08-21T02:57:37.362-05:00Comments on Dr. Wes: Why Medical Errors are Good for YouDrWeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-16395113652926028682008-03-18T17:22:00.000-05:002008-03-18T17:22:00.000-05:00I find this entry and the comments very interestin...I find this entry and the comments very interesting. I recently left active duty as an infantry officer, and there are definite analogies between medical errors, and some of the measures taken to prevent them, and the methods we used to reduce soldier deaths from both accidental and intentional (i.e. enemy) sources.<BR/><BR/>The problem is similar in many ways. In both professions, you have to Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-1574854078610759302008-01-15T13:15:00.000-06:002008-01-15T13:15:00.000-06:00I suppose if the demand towards perfection increas...<I>I suppose if the demand towards perfection increase too much, you'll see MD's simply decline to the the risk.</I><BR/><BR/>And, in some areas of the country, we already <B>have</B> seen it. Just something to ponder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-47624787010366029272007-12-05T14:42:00.000-06:002007-12-05T14:42:00.000-06:00Nice site - reasoned & inquisitive! I would submi...Nice site - reasoned & inquisitive! I would submit that your pneumo was a known complication and NOT an error, just like a dural puncture during an epidural placement. If there's a way to improve a particular procedure by changing or adding(ultrasound for example), then kudos to the doc - they're practicing the art of medicine.<BR/><BR/>In training and in practice, most physicians do the best Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-87198808889323782402007-12-05T14:41:00.000-06:002007-12-05T14:41:00.000-06:00Ron Sirotta, MD at West Suburban has done great le...Ron Sirotta, MD at West Suburban has done great lectures on "Error". I heard him '97 during training; he'd make a outstanding guest speaker on this.<BR/>MFlynnMDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-18524480254139981542007-11-19T11:57:00.000-06:002007-11-19T11:57:00.000-06:00anonymous - your points are well-taken.i guess in ...anonymous - your points are well-taken.<BR/><BR/>i guess in a nutshell, i'd say that i agree that we should constantly be in pursuit of perfection (regardless of occupation); however, when taking human nature into account, it becomes apparent that some strive for perfection and learn from their errors (i believe this is the pt dr. wes was trying to make) while others learn nothing and continue toJawshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08111733455045026397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-33898684739858561482007-11-19T10:43:00.000-06:002007-11-19T10:43:00.000-06:00Josh - Your points are well taken. Another saying...Josh - Your points are well taken. Another saying (learned from a physician appropriatly enough) is that "perfect is the enemy of good". <BR/><BR/>You are right, I'm not a physician, or even a clinician. A point I try to be sensitive to. But I work in healthcare with physicians on a regular basis. My expectations for medicine are high, maybe too high. But we're not making widgets here. As Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-49252406217483411932007-11-16T14:18:00.000-06:002007-11-16T14:18:00.000-06:00Let me put it simply. Do you want to go to a docto...<I> Let me put it simply. Do you want to go to a doctor that says, "well, perfection is impossible, so I aim for pretty good"?</I><BR/><BR/>yes, this <B>is</B> the doctor i'm looking for bc he is rooted in reality and isn't sugar coating things for me by telling me he is perfect and never makes mistakes.<BR/><BR/><I>'Perfection must be considered possible.'</I> agreed, however, only if we're Jawshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08111733455045026397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-51438384904578002602007-11-14T14:47:00.000-06:002007-11-14T14:47:00.000-06:00Dollars and regulation are NOT the answer, nor was...Dollars and regulation are NOT the answer, nor was I suggesting that. You cannot monitor your way to perfection.<BR/><BR/>Let me put it simply. Do you want to go to a doctor that says, "well, perfection is impossible, so I aim for pretty good"? Or do you want a doctor or a hospital that is constantly learning, constantly trying to improve systems, training, education, etc in order to achieve Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-17066904392656676942007-11-14T12:15:00.000-06:002007-11-14T12:15:00.000-06:00Anony 07:06-Many, many technologies have been requ...Anony 07:06-<BR/><BR/>Many, many technologies have been required to keep up with the dizzying array of complexities inherent to the healthcare system of today, as you have pointed out. Certainly, many of these measures have saved countless lives. But why were these technologies born? It's because others were less fortunate and had an error occur, it was reviewed, and mechanisms developed to DrWeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-60254571656869174732007-11-14T11:55:00.000-06:002007-11-14T11:55:00.000-06:00I know you meant to focus on the ways doctors can ...I know you meant to focus on the ways doctors can and should learn from errors. But I have to be honest and say that this piece comes off as just another doctor justifying the way things are, and seems to suggest that we should lower our expectations of medicine, because after all, sh*t happens. I'm sorry, but what we should be talking about is (to borrow a phrase) "the relentless pursuit of Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-4739017851749958832007-11-14T07:06:00.000-06:002007-11-14T07:06:00.000-06:00Your example was of a non-preventable error. If y...Your example was of a non-preventable error. If you clarify the scope of your article to just non-preventable error, it makes sense. However you must acknowledge based on a growing body of knowledge that many medical errors are preventable, e.g. wrong site surgery, medication errors, etc. There are mainstream error-proofing methods that are applicable to these types of problems, e.g. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-30602539754808877592007-11-08T16:41:00.000-06:002007-11-08T16:41:00.000-06:00Anony 3:53 PM CST - You are correct.My point is no...Anony 3:53 PM CST - <BR/>You are correct.<BR/><BR/>My point is not to condone making errors, but rather to understand that they will happen, irrespective of all of the safety measures in place. People's anatomies are different, doctor's clinical skill levels are different, and a myriad of other inter-dependent variables (pharmacists, nurses, nurse's aides, transporters, technicians, medications,DrWeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-52594914410766463002007-11-08T15:53:00.000-06:002007-11-08T15:53:00.000-06:00"What I tell my medical students, residents, and f..."What I tell my medical students, residents, and fellows is this: it's okay to have a medical error once, just never make the same error twice."<BR/><BR/>I know you would think differently if that one (permitted) medical error killed one of your loved ones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-61422548614526985642007-11-07T14:06:00.000-06:002007-11-07T14:06:00.000-06:00It has been said that our failures are the only th...It has been said that our failures are the only things we can truly call our own. I think the same man said that he wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have him as a member.<BR/><BR/>Great article. BTW - we have an analogue to M&M in my industry - curiously it's called the launch autopsy, and it's as awful as it is useful.bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03612307596763427172noreply@blogger.com