Medical safety begins with you, not just your doctor's skill

Medical safety begins with you, not just your doctor's skill (Photo: iStock)

Advances in medical care have led to continued improvements in the quality of care, better outcomes, and fewer complications. You are far more likely to walk out of a hospital unscathed nowadays compared to decades gone by. But medical care will never become foolproof. You are always at risk of some untoward event every time you subject yourself to healthcare providers.

Don't get me wrong. Every effort is made to optimise the care that you get whenever you are unwell. Physicians go through rigorous training before being certified to practice. They must also maintain their skills and knowledge through mandatory and continuous revalidation programmes. And healthcare institutions have processes in place that countercheck everything, leaving little chance of something going wrong. Over time, healthcare has become safer and safer. But that doesn't guarantee you'll always get out unscathed. Medical complications still happen, patients still get maimed for life, and others inadvertently die following interactions with healthcare providers.