Medical errors provide some benefit, argues one doctor
Patient Safety Monitor Alert, November 14, 2007
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Without medical errors, how could physicians learn what not to do? That is the argument of Westby G. Fisher, MD, who writes the Dr. Wes blog. In his latest posting, Fisher, who practices at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, says that the errors benefit the greater public because physicians learn from their and others' mistakes.
Most hospitals require physicians to attend a Morbidity and Mortality meeting periodically to discuss those surgical cases that result in harm or death of a patient. Doctors are forced to defend their practices, but other doctors are also there to hear what worked and what did not work when treating a patient for a specific condition. Though the loss or harm of one patient is never a desired result, each victim of a medical error can show physicians how to treat a patient with a similar condition correctly the next time the physician encounters that condition.
To read more of Fisher's comments on the topic, click here.
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