ec2285 said:
I'll see what I can add to the storm here. There are several issues of interest in this thread.
For starters Dr. freeze comes off as an insensitive dick / rich doctor who doesn't care. I have no idea if that is the tone he is trying to convey when posting. I will assume he is just not aware how it seems and that his bedside manner is much improved. (If not be aware that some studies have shown that one of the biggest factors to protect you from lawsuit is bedside manner/pt. relationship, not quality of care).
He does have a valid point in that when you go into the hospital (or really even get prescribed medication) s*** happens. In particular infection is a common and difficult complication to prevent and can have bad consequences (as you have seen). From a medical standpoint you can do everything right and this can still happen. Your physician should have discussed the possible consequences of your procedure (including infection) with you prior to your procedure (It was most definitely in the seven hundred pages of stuff you signed - informed consent). If it wasn't go and collect your money. My understanding is that med mal requires you to show that your care was negligent/ outside standards of care to win, not that you just had a bad outcome (which you definitely did....my condolences by the way). Unless something weird went on I doubt that you should win the case (although you never know these days.) My experience has always been that it costs me $500 bucks to walk in the lawyers door (maybe I'm seeing the wrong guys). My advice would be if you feel you are mad $500 worth. Go talk to a lawyer and see what they say, it can never hurt (except maybe the ole pocketbook) especially if this is something that is going to eat at you for twenty years.
As far as the rising cost of healthcare there are a number of issues, I can tell you for a fact that there are some states that I cannot afford to practice in due to the cost of insurance and it is keeping several good doctors away from those areas. I think everyone plays a part, insurance lawyers, physicians, patients, etc. The big part I see everyday is what is known as defensive medicine. It is one of the reasons why when you go to see a doctor these days you get 500 tests and it cost you 700 bucks to be seen for your cold. This is because doctors feel pressured to look for everything, not just what their experience and training tell them is most likely because if something is missed they may get sued and lose. Better to check for everything, just in case. This affects thousands and thousands of medical decisions everyday. I cant tell you how many times things are done to CYA.
As far as the life of a doctor some doctors owe so much money that by the time they figure out they don't like medicine they are stuck financially and being a doctor is the only way out. I can tell you that in the current healthcare environment (overall quality of life, job satisfaction, etc.) I am hoping that my daughter finds a different field. I don't know what says more about it than that.
Best wishes to your speedy recovery.
EC2285
appreciate your comments. Like I said earlier, my first thought is NOT to sue or to do anything. However, from what I do know as a nurse and from taking care of thousands of patients, people in healthcare screw up, and they screw up a lot! It's nothing malicious, but it happens. I really wonder what my operative report has to say?? I have a feeling my sterile field was broken or something worse. Now, would that be charted in my record?? Probably not?? Would there have been a 'non legal' document called an incident report filed?? Probably so.
I also remember nothing about somebody saying I had a risk to get a bad infection. However, it's hard to listen to all that chit they throw at you even if you do know all the jargon.
I'm coming from the standard that I provide excellent care, I always wash my hands (sounds simple, but you'd be suprised how many physicians don't even do it), and I do NOT harm people. Somebody(s) harmed me, and let me tell you, I'm suffering in a bad way. I'm mad, I hurt, I'm on the verge of being depressed, I can't do my normal chit that I want to do, I'm going to be delayed going back to work several weeks, and I'm hooked to a frikkin' IV sometimes 8 hours a day if it isn't working exactly right. If anybody ever suffered, I have, and I've seen plenty of suffering in my life.
I do have a sort of "ace in the hole" who actually works where I had my surgery. Now, she wasn't there that day, but she'll have some good scoop for me I'm quite sure, and I'm quite sure she'll be very forthcoming and honest with me since I graduated with her and helped her a great deal in college. I haven't talked to her yet, but I will soon.
Lastly, on freeze, I usually like him, but he really can push some buttons, and in this thread he really did. He's not the only one paying for malpractice insurance. I write that check too
I might have been too harsh with him, but chit, I feel bad. A simple, "man, I'm sorry you're hurt, but I seriously doubt you could win any kind of case. Good luck on your recovery."
