By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    physical health
    5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
    September 9, 2022
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    February 16, 2022
    healthcare organization
    5 Actionable Strategies For Healthcare Organizations
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    email marketing in healthcare
    Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing in Healthcare
    October 26, 2023
    healthcare claims
    The Role of Communication in Resolving Complex Workers’ Compensation Claims in Healthcare Settings
    September 22, 2024
    Wounds and Wisdom: What Motorcycle Accidents Teach Us About Health and Healing
    Wounds and Wisdom: What Motorcycle Accidents Teach Us About Health and Healing
    February 12, 2025
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Ebola and the Bigger Patient Safety Issue
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > Ebola and the Bigger Patient Safety Issue
BusinessGlobal HealthcareHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPublic Health

Ebola and the Bigger Patient Safety Issue

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: October 13, 2014 8:00 am
DavidEWilliams
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE
Did somebody say #Ebola?

Did somebody say #Ebola?

Did somebody say #Ebola?

Did somebody say #Ebola?

A Texas hospital blames its electronic medical record for the release of an Ebola patient who was sent home from the ER with an antibiotic (useless for a viral infection) and later came back to the hospital and died. In Spain, the government is blaming a nurse for catching Ebola from a patient and defending how it handled the disinfection of the ambulance an Ebola patient rode in.

Fact is, these sorts of screwups happen in hospitals every day. Individual cases are being reported now because they’re Ebola-related and therefore newsworthy. I’m hopeful that a positive byproduct of the Ebola scrutiny will be a renewed awareness of patient safety and quality of care issues by hospitals and patients.

It’s worth revisiting a post I wrote back in 2006 (Going to the hospital? BYMOD). I’ve reposted it below:

By now, most people know that hospitals are dangerous places, filled with medication errors, infections, poor communications and generally bad service. In case anyone needs to be convinced, the Institute of Medicine has just released a report on medication errors, indicating –among other things– that the rate of medication error is about 1 per patient per day!

In the A Piece of Mind column in the July 12 JAMA, Dr. Frederick Hecht of San Francisco recounts the story about his daughter’s bout with leukemia four years ago and subsequent recovery. The story is about the extra burden of being a physician when a family member is ill –no blissful ignorance and wishful thinking for him.

But as with any true story about illness and hospitalization, there is a subtext of error and danger:

Several days into my daughter’s treatment, I observed that one of the pills she was getting had changed, and it didn’t match anything she was supposed to be getting in the Physicians’ Desk Reference, which I already had at her bedside. It turned out that she was getting cis retinoic acid (Accutane) rather than all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) due to a pharmacy error. An acne medicine had been substituted for a critical chemotherapy treatment.

Maybe this was the hospital’s rendition of “live fast, die young, and leave a good looking corpse.” Anyway, he continues:

At another point, I noted a potentially life-threatening drug-induced hepatitis, which had been missed on her maintenance chemotherapy laboratory tests.

In other words, his daughter could well have died if she hadn’t had her father, the doctor, looking after her.

Don’t be lulled into trusting the hospital to take care of you. If you go to the hospital, try your best to take someone who knows what they are doing and isn’t afraid to speak up for you. If possible, BYOMD.

photo: cheerfulmonk via photopin cc

TAGGED:Ebola
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Merck In Germany Fighting Merck in the US Over Facebook Page

November 26, 2011
Maslow
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPublic Health

Improving Clinical Outcomes by Addressing Social and Basic Needs

April 17, 2014

TV Anchorpeople and Illness: Lessons Learned

September 29, 2012
3 Pronged Approach to Organizational Analysis
BusinessFinanceHospital Administration

A Three-Pronged Approach to Organizational Analysis

October 9, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?