5 medical mistakes that could cost you your life

The common joke that every doctor has his own cemetery, if it causes a smile, then only a bitter one. Data from the World Health Organization shows that every tenth patient becomes a victim of medical error. And studies by German sociologists show that 25,000 Germans die every year due to the negligence of medical workers. This does not include complex cases. Most often, it is the negligence of the followers of the Hippocratic oath that leads to the death of the patient. However, the patient himself can prevent gross mistakes of doctors.

We bring to your attention the most common of them.

Confirm the diagnosis with another doctor 

Mistake #1. Violation of sanitary standards. If you went into the office and were horrified by the dirt you saw, do not listen to what miracles military doctors showed when operating on soldiers in the trenches. And even more so, do not rely on the strength of your immunity, which is supposedly supposed to fight bacteria. Refuse any procedures if the sterility of the instruments is in great doubt. A vivid example of this is the sad experience of the Mexican singer Alejandra Guzman, who was infected during beauty injections, which later required the participation of experienced doctors.

• An infection brought into a wound can threaten with various ailments — from pustular eruptions up to sepsis.

Mistake #2. Inaccurate history taking. One of the most common clinical missteps that can sometimes cost a patient's life. There are many stories confirming how errors made in the collection of anamnesis caused tragedies.

• Hollywood star actor Robin Williams committed suicide when he found out he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The conclusion of the pathologists showed that he did not suffer from this disease.

Mistake #3: Lack of documents signed by the patient. Another common mistake. Many women in labor complained that they were allowed to wave papers right on the operating table, which stated that, they say, a caesarean section is not particularly a surgical intervention. At this time, written consent from the patient is required before starting any course of treatment.

• The doctor is obliged to invite the patient to sign an information agreement for all procedures.

Learn about side effects of prescribed medications 

Mistake #4: Using expired drugs. You must know everything about the medications to be taken during treatment, from the statute of limitations to possible complications. A bitter example is the fate of the famous actress Vivien Leigh. For the treatment of tuberculosis she was prescribed a medicine, one of the side effects of which — mental disorder. The psyche of the star of the film "Gone with the Wind" has been violated.

• Before injecting, the doctor must open the ampoule in front of the patient so that he can verify the expiration date of the drug used, as well as its compliance with its medical purpose.

Mistake #5. Disclosure of medical confidentiality can not only make a person asocial, but also take his life. So, according to one version, the murder of the famous stylist Dmitry Lyubashchenko occurred after a certain client found out about his diagnosis: the hairdresser was HIV-infected.

• Disclosure of a patient's diagnosis threatens criminal liability. The patient has the right to non-disclosure of the fact of visiting a medical institution, as well as his illness.

Of course, this is not a complete list of medical errors, which — we hope — every year will decrease, not increase. In the end, we are talking about our health. And if the actions of people in white coats are in doubt, contact legal advice on medical issues, where they will help you deal with the most difficult situation and defend not only your rights, but also your life.