Along the lines of the major mistakes physicians make so very often that harm your health, you may be very interested in reviewing these links about a new book by Dr. Jerome Groopman that explains how often many of the increasing number of medical errors really occur.
Some variables Dr. Groopman cites that should make you think twice before seeking advice from a doctor, by the numbers:
- Perhaps, nearly a quarter of all medical diagnoses are wrong.
- More than a fourth of all radiological tests -- meaning CAT scans and MRIs -- are incorrectly read.
Even worse than the numbers, Dr. Groopman says, is a general lack of independent thinking among medical residents he guides on hospital rounds. Rather than read charts, listen to a patient's concerns and observe the signs of illness, many of his young charges rely instead on cookie-cutter recipes for various health conditions preloaded on their computers for the answers.
The reasons why doctors lean so heavily on technology: A lack of time often prompts physicians to anchor their diagnosis or, in other words, make snap decisions based on a symptom or complaint, without getting to the real cause of the problem, part and parcel of a failed and conventional health care paradigm.
Boston Globe January 28, 2007The New Yorker January 29, 2007Left Brain Blog January 28, 2007