Following published reports and extensive media coverage regarding egregious behaviors in the medical profession, public awareness of physician and hospital errors has increased. Despite that increased attention, data suggests that the rate of reporting by physicians is lower than it should be.

In the JAMA July 14 issue, one of the major themes covered was research articles and commentary on the Physician Peer Review process and its effectiveness. The medical peer review is the process by which a committee of physicians examines the work of a peer and determines whether the physician under review has met the accepted standards of care in rendering medical services. This process is put in place specifically to assure physicians that their statements will remain confidential when commenting on the behaviors of their colleagues (many of whom are a physician’s primary referral sources).

An original research study titled “Physicians’ Perceptions, Preparedness for Reporting, and Experiences Related to Impaired and Incompetent Colleagues” found that overall, “…physicians support the professional commitment to report all instances of impaired or incompetent colleagues in their medical practice to a relevant authority; however, when faced with these situations, many do not report.

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New studies show that hospital deaths increase sharply in July causing a “July Effect”. The study illustrates the need for patients to practice caution while accepting medical care in that month or over the weekend days.

A recent study by the University of California at San Diego demonstrates that fatal medication errors rose 10 percent in July at teaching hospitals in the United States. This “July Effect,” doesn’t seem to mean that hospital staffs are running amok, but that more medication errors seem to be the culprit in teaching hospitals. The study investigated more than 62 million U.S. death certificates between 1976 and 2006. Of those, 244,388 deaths were caused by medication errors in hospitals such as dispensing the wrong medications, overdoses, and accidents involving drugs or biological agents.

The researchers examined certificates of inpatients, outpatients, and those who died in the emergency department, in which medication error was recorded as the primary cause of death. Counties containing teaching hospitals experienced a 10 percent rise in fatal medication errors in July, whereas counties lacking teaching hospitals did not experience that spike.

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There is an old saying that if you have your health you have everything.  Anyone who has ever suffered a debilitating injury or lost a loved one to injury or disease knows this reality all too well.  We are also told by medical experts that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  We are told to exercise, eat right, see a doctor for regular check-ups and indulge ourselves in life’s pleasures with moderation.

Regardless of our efforts to prevent injury and disease, inevitably we will require the services of a medical professional.  What is often overlooked is the important role of the patient in making sure the medical professional renders the very best of care.  This role is more important than we think.  For example, a 1999 study by the Institute of Medicine estimates that up to 98,000 people die in hospitals each year due to medical errors.  .  This exceeds the deaths from motor vehicle crashes, breast cancer and AIDS.

There was an excellent article on the CNN Health website advising patients to be proactive during a hospital stay to ensure that the very best care is received. The article suggests the following:

1.    Bring a list of the medications you are taking;
2.    Make sure the hospital gets your name right;
3.    Ask about every medication they give you;
4.    Make sure everyone washes their hands;
5.    If you think something’s wrong, don’t back down;

This is sage advice.  Many times, people admitted to a hospital feel helpless and confused and are hesitant to speak up when interacting with nurses and doctors.  We live in a culture that has for many years accepted the notion that what doctors say and do is not to be questioned.

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