Being a good teammate is a necessary skill to for every physician.  Not only is this critical in an interprofessional context, but perhaps most importantly, is a philosophy that should extend directly to patient care.  Indeed, a physician should participate in a partnership with the patient, as both parties aim to ultimately achieve the same goal: the best outcome for the patient’s health.  This is the fundamental basis of shared decision making, in which the physician actively seeks the patient’s involvement in deciding the course of action (or lack thereof).  While some physicians may rush through a seemingly meaningless consent process, the act of involving the patient in his/her own care is arguably the most important step of delivering care.  Nothing is more refreshing than a patient who takes an active role in maintaining his/her health.  By bringing the patient into the process, the… Continue reading →

To create a universal culture of patient safety, physicians must first take action against the adversarial legal environment that promotes the practice of defensive medicine instead of a transparent culture where physicians are empowered to communicate openly without fear of legal retribution.  Perhaps the only feasible way to accomplish this is through political means.  As long as the threat of litigation exists, health care providers, particularly those in “high risk” specialties, will be less likely to report adverse events.  A pertinent example can be seen in How Hospitals Can Fly, where Will expresses disbelief that the surgeons at St. Michael’s would tolerate 6 video cameras being placed in the OR to monitor and record their behavior.  Personally, I cannot imagine many surgeons in the real world being amenable to this idea, despite the implications it has in improving the quality of care they can provide.… Continue reading →