Medical Errors

Some doctors who need medical care themselves do their best to avoid hospitals during the month of July. This is because they perceive that medical error rates will be the highest at this time, as this is the month that recent medical school graduates start their in-hospital training. While studies do not support these facts, recent research published in JAMA sheds light on medical errors and how residents react to them. The investigators found that medical residents who think they have committed previous medical errors are more likely to suffer from depression, burnout and feelings of guilt, which could start a vicious cycle, and possibly increase the risk of future medical errors. To perform their study, researchers from the Mayo Clinic regularly surveyed 184 residents to determine the rate of medical errors, the likelihood of burnout and the development of symptoms of depression. The results showed that one in three doctors acknowledged making at least 1 major error in the preceding one to three year period. In addition, nearly one in seven reported making an error within the last 3 months. Those doctors who believed they had made medical errors were three times more likely than others to become depressed. In addition, medical errors were associated with a higher rate of doctor burnout and a lowering of feelings of empathy towards others. It has been estimated that over 100,000 patients die each year because of preventable medical errors. Given the results of this new study, it is imperative that changes be made to reduce errors and that proper support be given to doctors to minimize the psychological effects of these errors.