Health care - it's a wash. Nobody ever mentions this.

[leftyladyfrommo]

I read an article in the KC Star a couple of weeks ago that stated about 225,000 people a year die from lack of health care.

But - about 225,000 a year die from medical mistakes and adverse reactions to medicines.

So, what to do?

Personally I feel safer staying away from the medical profession. But I do go if I actually get sick and really need medicine.

[rfranklin]

1. That's when they get ya...

Let down your guard and get sick and next thing you know you're six feet under.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. Honestly - this is a true story

A couple of weeks ago the mother of a friend of mine went to the hospital.

She was black, which is important to this story.

For her employment someone filled in "cornpicker."

Then they gave her twice the medication she was supposed to have and she died.

And I just can't get that whole awful thing out of my mind.

[Cal Carpenter]

3. I really hope you are being facetious

(eta: I don't mean the info about medical mistake deaths, but the idea that it makes it 'a wash'.)

[leftyladyfrommo]

4. I don't know what I'm being. I'm scared to death of the Medical Profession.

But I still think everyone should have access to basic health care.

[Cal Carpenter]

5. Gotcha

I figured that's where you were coming from but around here ya never know.

I'm not scared of the medical 'profession' but rather the medical 'system'.

[get the red out]

6. Experience lately

The Medical profession has saved the lives of three people dear to me this winter, that being said a person must always ask questions and be willing to talk to the Doctors and Nurses when they or a loved one is hospitalized. I have been doing this all winter, my father was in the hospital for two months, he had heart valve replacement surgery and developed major infections. We had to have some major discussions with hospital personnel about keeping us informed, and what our family desired for his rehabilitation care, but without this surgery my Dad would not be alive (and I believe he had an amazing surgeon who saved his life when many would not have had the skill). My Mother also has been hospitalized twice for low potassium during this time, she had simply accepted seeing a PA for her medical care and not the actual physician in the practice and though blood tests showed her potassium as low nothing was done until she was in a very dangerous situation. As a 74 old woman in less than perfect health she should have never been seeing a physician's assistant only. Now she is seeing a MD for her medical care.

My husband has been in the hospital this past week due to a medication he was prescribed negatively affecting his kidneys, and the hospital attempted to give him a dose of the offending medication the day after he went in, because it was in his chart as one of his "regular medications". Luckily he is a middle-aged man, aware of what they were giving him, and completely able to speak up and demand the nurses contact the doctor caring for him (who was not amused). I also spoke to the nurses when I discovered what had happened. A person simply has to be conscious of what is happening when in hospital care, a huge problem is that people tend to deify doctors and not ask questions or make things clear.

Medical professionals are a very vital part of society, but we have to do our part as well and make sure we, as consumers, get the best care from them as possible. That will not solve all the problems but we must work with what we have in the best way that we can while demanding it improve.

[dana_b]

15. well said

as a nurse I always encourage patients to speak up. If a patient says "What is that blue pill?" or "I don't remember that medication" it's a flag that needs to be investigated.

To reduce errors,for education and for empowerment, it's a necessity to get the patient/family involved in the patient's care. Never simply accept what is given - always question and good health care professionals will gladly work with you.

[The Midway Rebel]

7. OMFG Your'e right! I just realized...

Most everybody who dies is under the care of a medical Dr.!

Avoid Dr's!

Also, most accidents happen in the home.

So stay out of your home!

:-)

[Gin]

9. wonder what the taxes would be if we had national health care

I personally would like that kind of coverage.

[endless october]

13. if we ended the wars and the drug war

taxes wouldn't have to go up to cover universal coverage.

chance of that happening : about zero.

we need to prioritize.

[coti]

8. The people added to the insurance rolls wouldn't translate into

an added 225,000 deaths by medical mistakes per year. It would probably be proportional to the percentage of people who already have insurance vs. those who will have it now.

Of course, not all of those 225,000 who died because of lack of insurance are going to be saved by this, either. However, compared to no insurance reform at all, I do believe this will save lives, in the short run.

In the long run, being patient enough to do it right likely would have saved more lives, though.

[The Midway Rebel]

10. actually I think the correct number is 44,000 deaths per year for lack of insurance

If I'm wrong, show me.

[coti]

11. I think you're right, that's the number I've heard before too. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

12. OK. I looked it up again.

225,000 deaths due to lack of insurance over the next decade.
Harvard says 45,000 a year.

But that makes it worse. 45,000 die due to lack of insurance.

225,000 a year are killed by the medical profession - those numbers are for medical mistakes and adverse reactions to presription drugs.

We are better off without insurance. Eat right, exercise and go it on your own.

[The Midway Rebel]

16. Better off without insurance?

I agree with your premise that we should avoid Dr's by eating right and exercising. Going without insurance? Been there done that and I have a 5k ER bill to prove it. And, I was lucky! My friends hysterectomy cost $27,000. Another friend had twins with complications at $97,000. You expect folks to pay for this kind of expense out of pocket?!

Are you high?

Got a link for that 225,000 dead per year "killed by the medical profession"?

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. there are lots if you google it.

Its obviously a huge problem.

[Motown_Johnny]

14. those numbers must be world wide. The Harvard study had something like 45,000

Americans dieing every year with no health care, and not all of them could be saved.

It is reasonable to assume that fewer Americans die from medical mistakes simply because we have higher quality medical providers.

[SolidGold]

18. Technology - we rely to much on busy doctors.

In short, computer systems that track all the care, medication, and treatment a patient receives during their lifetime. These systems would cross reference medication, treatments, and other patients data to assist the doctor in prescribing and treating whatever illness is at hand efficiently.

Essentially using the herd to cull the best practices and treatment for a given patient.