Offerings by George A. Sprecace M.D., J.D.:

HOSPITALS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN  DANGEROUS PLACES,
precisely at the time that the patient drops all his or her guard...and just lies there.
Don't Do That. Ask questions. Challenge if you don't understand something. And preferably always have an "Advocate" with you who will do these important tasks. It can be anyone who cares about you.

And now there is an added risky burden, for patient and "provider" alike: the Electronic Health Record. Both in the hospital setting and in the medical office, this can be a definite impediment to both clinical care and to its documentation...and a danger. Ask your doctor, who may be spending nearly half of his time treating the record instead of dealing with your needs. What does that produce? Errors.

GS

Medical Errors, GS

"Estimating Hospital Deaths Due to Medical Errors - Preventability is in the Eye of the Reviewer"
by R. Hayward, MD and T. Hofer, MD, MS