HOW SAFE IS THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM? WRONG DIAGNOSIS,SLOPPY PRACTICES,LAX HYGIENE,DRUG BLUNDERS AND DANGEROUS DOCTORS

(1)WRONG DIAGNOSIS: According to a recent analysis, doctors often fail to catch common problems like pneumonia, congestive heart failure and cancer. 10% of patients deaths and up to 17% of all episodes of preventable harm in hospitals were contributed by diagnostic errors. This information was found by autopsy and medical-record reviews. According to a 2015 Institute of Medicine report, misdiagnosis is the top cause of malpractice payouts. Many were mistakes from misunderstandings or collaboration among clinicians, patients and families. Also, a variety of biases and fallacies. Among those are stereotyping, gender bias and being swayed by independent events. An example of that is, assuming that if 5 patients just came in with the flu, the 6th has it too. On-target diagnosis is not a priority for the medical system. Doctors often do not even find out later if they are proved wrong. MAKE YOUR CARE SAFER: Make sure you understand what your doctor thinks you have. Ask for medical terminology. Look it up at home. If you are unsure, get a second opinion. This time preferably from a specialist. Ask about results if you get a test. Test sometimes get lost or overlooked. Do not assume if you do not hear anything it is good news. Consider taking the test again if results don't add up. Results are not always 100% accurate. (2)SLOPPY PRACTICES: In 12 U.S. cities, one study found that 45% of patients did not receive recommended care for their conditions. 4.5% of Medicare patients developed pressure ulcers-bedsores while in the hospital. This information came from a first of-its-kind study. These patients were more likely to stay in the hospital longer than others, to die in the hospital or to be readmitted soon after the discharge. A lot of blunders have been eliminated by surgical teams huddling before a procedure to agree on what they are doing. MAKE YOUR CARE SAFER: If your doctor looks at you funny because you asked for details on your treatment, it might be time to get another doctor. (3)LAX HYGIENE: In a 2016 report by the Centers for Disease Control, shows progress in reducing infections acquired during a medical treatment. There has been a 50% drop in bloodstream infections from IV lines, a 17% decrease in surgical-site infections and an 8% drop in hospital-acquired infections. There are still an estimated 121,800 infections a year. Other major contributors are pneumonia, gastrointestinal illness and urinary tract infections. On any given day, about 1 in 25 hospital patients are fighting a bug that they acquired from treatment. About 75,000 of them die each year. MAKE YOUR CARE SAFER: Patients need to speak up! If you don't see doctors wash their hands before touching you or administrating your care, ask them to do so. (4)DRUG BLUNDERS: The most common type of preventable health care harm is adverse drug events. 700,000 emergency room visits and 120,000 hospitalizations a year are contributed to errors with medications. Half of drug administrations during or around the time of surgeries involved a mistake of some kind. This was found in a 2015 study. These mistakes were all harmful or potentially so. Almost 80% of them were preventable. MAKE YOUR CARE SAFER: Make sure all of your doctors know about each medication you take. This includes supplements. Bring them to your doctor's appointments. In the hospital, get to know what your meds look like. Ask why if a nurse brings you something different. Before giving you anything, make sure care-providers check your hospital wristband. (5)DANGEROUS DOCTORS: Recently, Consumer Report filed a public records request for California's entire database of doctors on probation. The analysts found several hundred doctors in that state alone had been disciplined. They were often not barred from practice. The doctors were on probation for problems like blatant negligence, practicing under the influence, dealing narcotics and engaging in sexual misconduct with patients. MAKE YOUR CARE SAFER: Choose a surgeon who has done your procedure many times. Look up doctors on Surgeon score card, a searchable database from the investigative reporting center ProPublica. It shows complications and rates physicians.