What doctors might not tell their patients in Illinois

What doctors might not tell their patients in Illinois

Due to either a lack of time, the desire to conceal certain information from patients or other reasons, doctors may not always provide the whole picture to their patients. While there are many topics that physicians may seem willing to discuss, they may not be entirely forthcoming about them either, and some of them include the increase in medication errors in July and their track record related to particular medical procedures, according to a diagnostic radiologist.

One topic that doesn’t get talked about much by doctors is the increase in fatal doctor errors related to medication in July — it rises by around 10 percent as a result of new medical residents taking over the care of patients with whom they are unfamiliar. To prevent being harmed by a new resident’s lack of experience, people should be sure to keep track of what medications they are taking and their dosages and not be afraid to ask doctors to review what they are being given if something seems off.

Another thing many doctors aren’t upfront about is their personal track record on particular surgeries. Trustworthy doctors will likely not have a problem sharing their history and how it relates to the national average. Some errors and complications are unavoidable, but it may be a warning sign if a physician tries to avoid this topic or dismissively gloss over it.

People depend on physicians and medical centers to improve their health, not to be the cause of harm. When patients believe they have been injured as a result of negligence or avoidable errors, an attorney could assist them in finding out the facts surrounding the situation. The attorney may also be able to represent them or their family members in taking legal action against a negligent practitioner or facility.

Source: Care2, “5 Things Your Doctor Won’t Tell You Unless You Ask“, Ann Pietrangelo, August 04, 2014