By Aaron Cantor, BS, ENS, MC, USNR, MSII Pennsylvania State College of Medicine

On my way back home from Marseille, I happened to pick up a copy of USA Today from 20 June.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the front page featured a special report, “When Health Care Makes You Sick: Under the knife for nothing.”

Although the article highlights medical errors, interviews Lucian Leape and Rosemary Gibson, and even mentions the story of Michael Skolnik, its tone perpetuates acceptance of medical errors and withholding of valuable information:  there is a way to know the total number of cases in which people got surgery that wasn’t needed if honest disclosure is practiced; hospitals are required to report infection and surgical errors to a governing body, but reporting to the patient and family (those who are most affected) may not be required.  The article… Continue reading →