If you are indeed a frequent reader of mine, you’ll know that I write stories that are based in research, not on fear-mongering or speculation. The citation was linked in the OP. Did you even read it or did you just react to the headline?
Doctors and nurses are human beings (not gods) and human beings make mistakes. When they are under more pressure and stress, when they are more tired than usual, they make more mistakes than usual. I am completely grateful to all of the personnel on the front lines, including all the medical professionals, but it is reckless every day of the week and especially now to not be an advocate for your own health and to blindly defer to anyone. Don’t be a sheep and don’t encourage other people to be one either. It’s irresponsible.
“It’s the system more than the individuals that is to blame,” Makary said. The U.S. patient-care study, which was released in 2016, explored death-rate data for eight consecutive years. The researchers discovered that based on a total of 35,416,020 hospitalizations, there was a pooled incidence rate of 251,454 deaths per year — or about 9.5 percent of all deaths — that stemmed from medical error.
Now, two years later, Makary said he hasn’t seen the needle move much.
“Medical-care workers are dedicated, caring people,” said Chris Jerry, “but they’re human. And human beings make mistakes.” According to him, the day Emily was given her fatal dose, the hospital pharmacy was short-staffed, the pharmacy computer was not properly working, and there was a backlog of physician orders.
Afterward Chris said he discovered that pharmacy technicians, rather than well-trained and educated pharmacists, are compounding nearly all of the IV medications for patients. And many states have no requirements, or proof of competency, for these pharmacy technicians.”
