The Spring 2012 issue of The Safety Report asks, “What happens when you go under the knife? Similar to distracted driving, a new trend, “distracted doctoring” has emerged. Hospitals and doctors’ offices, in an effort to curb medical errors, have invested heavily to put computers, smartphones and other devices into the hands of their medical staff to facilitate better patient care. But, this means that doctors and nurses can be focused on the screen and not on their patient during moments of critical care. Examples that are cited are a nurse checking airfares during surgery and a poll that showed that half of technicians running bypass machines had admitted texting during a procedure. Scott Eldredge, a medical malpractice lawyer In Denver, represented a patient who was paralyzed after surgery. The neurosurgeon was distracted during the surgery, using a wireless headset to talk on his cellphone. His personal calls, at least 10 of them, were made to family and business associates according to his phone records. Their advice: Next time you go in for a medical procedure, ask your doctor to turn off the cellphone.
Bettina Altizer- Attorney at Law
Altizer and Altizer
324 Washington Avenue
Roanoke, Virginia, 24016
540-345-2000
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