A doctor I see for my thyroid tumor recently made a mistake. While the recommendation of the specialist, an endocrinologist, in this case didn’t cause me to lose a limb or seriously jeopardize my health, the experience did give me first-hand insight of how easy medical mistakes happen when doctors don’t have access to information when making decisions.
My son Alex suffers from hydrocephalus, an uncommon condition that forces an abnormal accumulation of fluid inside his brain. His condition is treated with insertions of shunts into his skull to let the excess fluid drain. If the shunts should fail, Alex could lapse into a coma and even die. Quick and appropriate intervention for my son and other hydrocephalus patients is critical.
Is payment reform important?
Over half of doctors say an important step to improving care is changing the way doctors are paid.
