Doctor Writes Book about Dangers of Medical Errors

71 year old Dr. Richard Klein knows a thing or two about practicing medicine.  He’s also honest enough to admit that there is a growing problem involving medical errors in this country.  In fact, he’s written a book about it, warning both patients and doctors about the risks of medical malpractice.

It’s titled “Surviving Your Doctors” and it’s being considered somewhat controversial among Klein’s colleagues.  The book addresses the staggering statistic that one in every 100,000 people die each year of medical malpractice and talks about ways that medical errors occur and how to avoid them.

Some of the leading causes of medical mistakes, according to Klein, involve doctors sticking with initial diagnoses that turn out to be wrong, ignoring other information and data, and, of course, the simple act of not paying attention.

Klein has had plenty of experience with medical malpractice, albeit on the other side of the spectrum.  He has served as an expert witness in numerous court cases involving negligence and the legal process involved in these kinds of lawsuits.

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of doctors who oppose Klein’s views.  Dr. Klein says, “Every time I mention it to my colleagues, they say ‘Don’t go there. Don’t mention it.’ They deny the numbers,” he says. “But something ought to be done about it. We’ve got to talk about it. It’s a pandemic.”

The book is scheduled to be released in December.  As consumers, and particularly as patients, we can never be too educated about our own safety, so you may want to add this one to your holiday ‘wish list’.