July 13, 2006 1:33 AM
Doctors screw up. A lot.
Sen. Bill Frist (a doctor) has been fighting for years to limit the penalties for doctors.
Sens. Clinton and Obama are now leading the fight to reduce the actual screw ups.
Ezra Klein: "to the Republicans, suits and payouts are the ill. To the Democrats, the problem is a slew of medical injuries of which the suits are a symptom. The latest evidence shows the Democrats' diagnosis to be right."
Frist, do no harm (07.13.2006)
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Right Wing Robby:
How many lives do doctors save per year?
Thu Jul 13 2006 9:12 AM
Oh tons, of course. But that makes many of them feel invincible and that they never screw up... as evidenced by Frist's inability to see value in solving WHY doctor's screw up as opposed to just protecting them when they do.
This is hugely damaging to fixing very real, systemic process issues that cause many to die. This is very well documented.
It's not all their fault, by any stretch. There's a culture of ridiculous overwork that leads to errors. Paperwork and process within hospitals causes people to die. Many problems that can be fixed... if we focus on them.
But in the end, some doctors are much better than others... in that respect, this profession is no different than any other. Some are really bad and should be fired.
Thu Jul 13 2006 11:14 AM
Right Wing Robby:
Your link says that perhaps its not as much the doctors, but the procedures that are in place.
" But the IOM also found that more than 90 percent of these deaths are the result of failed systems and procedures, not the negligence of physicians. "
You certainly wont get any arguement out of me. Life is a precious thing and anyway it can be saved should be tried.
Thu Jul 13 2006 11:21 AM
Tom from Madison:
Think of all the procedures that "aren't" tried on uninsured Americans. Then think of how many deaths have resulted from not helping these people.
It is sad that countries like Venezuela are offering assistance to the US at a time when we're choosing to wage war rather than help our own citizens who lack health coverage. This is yet another harvest of shame.
Sun Jul 16 2006 5:23 PM
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