It’s fair to say that trusting your doctor and the medical team who takes care of you is a wise approach. In 99.999% of cases, the individuals present will be compassionate, caring, focused, diligent, conscientious, and motivated to work long hours to ensure healthy patient outcomes. It’s incredible the work our doctors, nurses, surgeons, and clinicians do.
However, that doesn’t always mean the medical industry is a flawless system. There are creaking issues no matter where you go, from the exploitative financial arrangements of US healthcare, to the often inefficient NHS in the United Kingdom.
Because no system is perfect, sometimes that means issues, such as negligence, mistakes or malpractice can be encountered. But as most of us have little medical training (outside of first aid perhaps), it’s not always clear to see if we have been a victim of this. It’s good to give your medical team the benefit of the doubt, but in those circumstances where you suspect something isn’t quite right, you may find benefit with the following advice.
Note that these are general suggestions and not direct medical guidance for your specific situation.
Trust Is Important, But Awareness Matters Too
How do you balance the feeling that something isn’t right, with the justified need to trust those that have been caring for you? Placing trust in your doctor or medical team is usually a safe and reasonable thing to do after all. In the vast majority of cases, you’re dealing with professionals who have dedicated their lives to helping others. They work long hours under significant pressure, and the care they provide makes a real difference. It’s worth remembering and respecting that absolutely.
That said, healthcare, like any large institution, has its weak spots. Sometimes they show up in the form of underfunding, stretched resources, or unclear communication. And very occasionally, more serious issues can arise. So remember, you’re never incorrect for asking for further clarification, reporting issues you’ve experienced, or asking to speak to someone higher up.
When Something Feels Off, Pay Attention To It
If a complication has arisen with little explanation, it’s not unreasonable to ask questions. Most of us don’t have medical training, so it can be difficult to know whether something is simply an unfortunate outcome or if it’s a result of a mistake.
Still, instincts matter. If your experience means the treatment you’ve had feels inconsistent, rushed, or just doesn’t sit right with you, you’re well within your rights to get a second opinion, to escalate the issue or make a complaint to ask for a further investigation. Remember that the medical team you’ve been engaging with also has third-party organizations that regulate their actions to ensure these issues are fully investigated, and signaling your intention for that can be important.
Make A Record While The Details Are Fresh
Try to keep a clear timeline of what’s happened. That includes the symptoms you experienced, the treatments received, who you spoke to, and when. Speak to your relatives or friends to help you with this if you can. You’re not doing this to accuse anyone, but rather to keep an accurate account. If nothing was done wrong, then great. But if something was, having those details could potentially help you properly speak to malpractice attorneys, or to put in a claim for your malpractice insurance coverage.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily know where to turn if suspecting medical malpractice.
