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What You Need To Know To Survive A Trip To The Hospital
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Air date: Thursday, September 4, 2003
Open: There are some very real hazards that exist for people forced to spend time in the hospital...and in light of the recent story about the Wichita Falls man that settled his lawsuit filed over an unexpected amputation, our un-common sense expert Benjamin Dover has a certain level of insight and authority on this topic.
BFD reply: Unfortunately I do. I endured 12 surgeries in a three-year period following my motorcycle accident back in 1989 and I've definitely earned my share of expertise when it comes to empowering patients and their families. And this poor guy in Wichita Falls is an extreme example of what happens when patients and their families aren't aggressively pro active when it comes to dealing with doctors and especially hospital staff.
Question #2 What happened in the Wichita Falls case, Ben?
BFD reply: 67 year old Hurshell Ralls woke up after what was expected to be prostate surgery to find that the doctors had gotten a little bit overzealous and ended up amputating his manhood, and what upsets me about this the most is the fact that it can happen to any of us, but it shouldn't have happened to poor Mr. Ralls. I don't want to get caught up in the legal nuances of the case, but the realities of hospital dangers shouldn't be taken lightly. What troubles me the most is the fact that through every single one of the surgical procedures I've gone through, I had to sign what's referred to as a "permit" prior to being wheeled into the O.R. The permit actually spells out what procedures are authorized to be carried out, and if the doctors are doing their jobs right, they always know what they will do, and potentially what they might have to do once they get into the surgery itself.
Question #3 You said on your site that we have a 1 in 5 chance of being victimized by medical malpractice the next time you stay in a hospital...the numbers don't lie...but you could die.
BFD reply: You can't afford to ignore these facts before you go to the hospital! I've said this before and it's worth repeating: I have an enormous amount of respect for the medical community...a group of folks who are dedicated to saving lives and often working long hours, despite being woefully under-compensated for the risks they take. So don't misinterpret this story as an attack on doctors or nurses or the health care profession in general, because it's not.
The bigger lesson here is one all of us can benefit from, whether you're dealing with a doctor, an insurance salesman or a stock broker: Anytime you're asking for advice from someone who could impact your world in a big way, you've got to check the work of the people you've chosen to trust when you're most vulnerable.
Question #4 Ben you've got some hospital survival tips for patients and their families or friends?
BFD reply: You betcha, here you go...
Ben's Top 3 Hospital Survival Tips:
1. Always have someone backing you up. A second set of eyes can make all the difference whenever possible. Don't be shy about checking the work of others...especially at the hospital...a place that's full of germs, full of sick people, and full of people that can make life-or-death errors, period!
2. If you or someone you love is ever kept in the hospital overnight, take copious notes! And check the work of the nurse...especially the overnight shift! They're human, they make mistakes, too.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/UPDATE, filed 09/08/03: This segment generated a bunch of heat from nurses ticked off at me about my comments regarding overnight nurses. After wading through dozens of e-mails from nurses, doctors and others from the health care industry, it's obvious that I need to re-think my advice. And so I have.
If possible, have a family member or friend with you throughout your entire hospital stay! Patients need to have someone there to support them through all shifts, 24 hours a day. It's the smartest, most pro-active thing any patient can do for themselves: Potentially fatal errors can be made at any time of the day or night.
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