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DON'T BECOME A VICTIM OF A SURGICAL ERROR

By Beth Janicek

You can have the best surgeon in the world and mistakes still happen. Check out these headlines:

· Minnesota doctors remove the healthy kidney of a cancer patient while leaving the diseased one behind;

· California doctors remove the appendix of the wrong patient; and

· One of the most experienced surgeons in a Boston, Massachusetts, hospital operates on the wrong side of a patient.

Pretty scary. Unfortunately, real numbers are not available because most states don't require doctors to report surgical errors. If all states required doctors and hospitals to report all surgical errors, then maybe we would see a decline in these unnecessary, life threatening mistakes.

"You need to be that thorn in their side," said Dr. Samuel Seiden, an anesthesiologist who's co-author of a study on surgical errors. "You will catch things. You might also frustrate the nurses, but you have to look out for yourself."

The following are some steps you can take to lower your chances of becoming the next victim of a surgical error.

1. Check out your doctor and hospital;

2. Tell everyone who you are and why you're having surgery;

3. Make sure your doctor initials your site;

4. Confirm the surgery site with the surgeon right before the procedure; and

5. Train someone to be your advocate.

This website grades the performance of hospitals, physicians, health plans, nursing homes and other health care providers in the United States. http://www.healthgrades.com/

Additionally, check out your state's medical board website for helpful information regarding any physician.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Beth Janicek

Full post as published by San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyer on July 21, 2008 (boomark / email).