When Patients Die from the ‘Care’ They Get in Hospitals
The hospital care system is anything but what it is meant to be. A recent study of the hospital scenario, even the US, is scary. Martin Makary, a professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who led a research, said in an interview that problems include “everything from bad doctors to more systemic issues such as communication breakdowns when patients are handed off from one department to another. People dying from the care that they receive rather than the disease for which they are seeking care,” Makary said. The study is published in a recent issue of British Medical Journal (BMJ). 
 
In 1999, the Institute of Medicine had warned of the same issues. Late Barbara Starfield had commented in her excellent article in the JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) in 2000, showing that the medical establishment was one of the leading causes of death. Martin Makary’s figures are depressing compared to the 1999 study. In 1999, about 98,000 people had lost their lives unnecessarily in the hospital, where they went for help. That number, today, is 251,000 which translates into 700 people dying daily due to medical errors and related mistakes in US hospitals.
 
If a couple of Jumbo jets had fallen from the sky daily, do you think planes would be flying regularly? That would have been prime-time and all-time news for our 24x7 electronic media. This study in the BMJ has not made it, so far, to the mainstream media. There is an epidemic of mumps at the Harvard University threatening their new entrants this time; but that does not make news because the epidemic occurred in fully vaccinated students and shows the vaccine claims to be a fraud! Spreading that truth would hurt the most powerful vaccine industry. 
 
Immunity boosting is the basis of Ayurveda; many successful doctors who were treating cancer (like Dr Scott Gerson) were almost deported from America. Cancer research has come to grief and is turning towards expensive and reductionist chemical molecules to boost the immune system to control cancer. Now billionaires are funding immune system booster research to convert “death into chronic disease status for cancer.” News media highlighted the large-heartedness of the philanthropists who have donated money for cancer research. While they are doing good, they are looking for hefty returns by way of cancer drug sales, the new ones which they can sell at phenomenal costs for a long time, as researchers are trying to make cancer a chronic illness like diabetes.
 
Kenneth Sands, director of healthcare quality at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, said that the surprising thing about medical errors is that only hospital-acquired infections have shown improvement. “The overall numbers haven’t changed, and that’s discouraging and alarming,” he said. Even more glaring is the news that just about seven operations in the emergency rooms were responsible for over 80% deaths and costs! These are: upper gastro-intestinal surgeries, gall bladder removals, peptic ulcer surgery, intestinal obstructions, colonic surgeries, peritoneal adhesions and appendectomies. Almost 50% of surgeries create drug-related complications and death.
 
If doctors accept that, and report medical errors honestly, the errors will come down. Unfortunately, today, the atmosphere is such that medical errors are rarely accepted. That topic is still a taboo in hospital circles. God save the hapless patients in hospitals. So far, “patients were coming to our hospital to lose their money and their lives,” wrote a noted cancer specialist. Now, they might not die but become permanent patients for the cancer industry which is much more lucrative than quick death for cancer patients. What is lost sight of, in this whole drama, is the inexpensive plant-based immune boosters used in Ayurveda for centuries. Those could be used in research to see if they could help recovery from many simple cancers. Will our well-meaning politicians take a lead in this direction?
Comments
Ramesh Poapt
9 years ago
Great Dr Hegde!as usual..
Mahesh S Bhatt
9 years ago
Blind illogical aping of American Corrupt marketing & glorfying as right thorugh media is modern disease.

Market Economy which is supposed to be good for Country has drowned Americans to $21 trillion loss in Subprime/Stock markets meltdowns in 2008.CARTELISATION & looting common public thorough media ads has killed businesses.

Pharma industry has 80% of unwanted variations/patents & hoax medicines which we stupid Indians /global people consume runs in multi billion dollars.

They have created Market economies in sacred Education & Medical care where people lose their fortunes of whole life in months.

Emotional Blackmailing/Partial information sharing/fear psychosis generations/over treating/targets for RMO to convert OPD to In Patients/total machine diagonsis without manual diagonisis/disrepecting age of patient & treating aggressive medicines/procedures heartlessly are norms.

God also cannot bless them.Amen Mahesh Bhat
Amar Sehmi
9 years ago
Now more and more such studies and reports are bringing awareness of the Medical World Mafia who in order to make money will go to any extent.
Bibek Bhowmik
9 years ago
Having read the artivle on the medical care in hispitals, that too in the most developed nation like USA, I feel that its not lack of knowledge but lack of system. Moreover as very rughtly pointed out about the communication system while shifting the patients from Departments or to other Medics. Proper basic information, processes and Mansgement being followed need to be Boldly indicated while following such transfers.
One more thing may be observed that People working as prifessionals need to dedicate and focus in more realistic manners. Elex. gadgets and other entertainment tools need to be sidelined while on duty. (I though believe these are followed in most places). We work for livelihood but also for prifessional satisfaction, isn't it! So my appeal to all those working in such highly dependable Health-care places may please try a little more to bring back faith & Confidence of ailing people. Best way to reward these excellent medics, para medics need to be taken up in highly stature. Satisfaction of all will get back to its place again.
Bibek Bhowmik
9 years ago
Having read the artivle on the medical care in hispitals, that too in the most developed nation like USA, I feel that its not lack of knowledge but lack of system. Moreover as very rughtly pointed out about the communication system while shifting the patients from Departments or to other Medics. Proper basic information, processes and Mansgement being followed need to be Boldly indicated while following such transfers.
One more thing may be observed that People working as prifessionals need to dedicate and focus in more realistic manners. Elex. gadgets and other entertainment tools need to be sidelined while on duty. (I though believe these are followed in most places). We work for livelihood but also for prifessional satisfaction, isn't it! So my appeal to all those working in such highly dependable Health-care places may please try a little more to bring back faith & Confidence of ailing people. Best way to reward these excellent medics, para medics need to be taken up in highly stature. Satisfaction of all will get back to its place again.
Sumitha Manivel
9 years ago
The medical system has it's faults. However it is unfair and misleading to persistently highlight only the negatives and selectively quote only sources that he agrees with as the author has done in this article and just about every single article he has written in the past. There are innumerable doctors who do an excellent job. While it is good to warn people about flaws in the system, a sense of balance is required. Scaremongering is dangerous, if someone who should see a doctor refuses to do it could lead to serious problems. I am very disappointed with moneylife editors for allowing this sort of negativity. Someone with no training in cancer care, virology or epidemiology is writing on these subjects. Moneylife claims to be unbiased, is this article unbiased?
Meenal Mamdani
Replied to Sumitha Manivel comment 9 years ago
I heartily second your comments about this article and the propensity of this author to hyperbole and throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I have repeatedly requested MLFoundation executive trustees to not provide a platform for this author and others like him. By doing so, they unknowingly give credibility to his eccentric opinions. Alas, I have not been able to persuade them. Perhaps if they were to see more comments like yours, the trustees would reconsider their decision.
Sumitha Manivel
Replied to Meenal Mamdani comment 9 years ago
The editor of Moneylife is failing in his duty to readers by allowing alarmist, unbalanced articles of this sort. The author is entitled to his views and he propagates them with missionary zeal. However, has the editor has to protect the interests of readers. Can he not imagine how a reader suffering from cancer will feel on reading this piece or numerous other pieces like this. Also, the author repeatedly attacks big pharma as being the devil incarnate. Lion stockletter has four big pharma companies on its list! Where is the integrity in that?
Thiagarajan Sundaravadivelu
Replied to Sumitha Manivel comment 8 years ago
Completely Agree with your opinion, Correctly pointed out.
Meenal Mamdani
Replied to Sumitha Manivel comment 9 years ago
I heartily second your comments about this article and the propensity of this author to hyperbole and throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I have repeatedly requested MLFoundation executive trustees to not provide a platform for this author and others like him. By doing so, they unknowingly give credibility to his eccentric opinions. Alas, I have not been able to persuade them. Perhaps if they were to see more comments like yours, the trustees would reconsider their decision.
Thiagarajan Sundaravadivelu
Replied to Meenal Mamdani comment 8 years ago
I am new member to MLF, i agree to your comments, he is an excentric.
Meenal Mamdani
Replied to Sumitha Manivel comment 9 years ago
I heartily second your comments about this article and the propensity of this author to hyperbole and throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I have repeatedly requested MLFoundation executive trustees to not provide a platform for this author and others like him. By doing so, they unknowingly give credibility to his eccentric opinions. Alas, I have not been able to persuade them. Perhaps if they were to see more comments like yours, the trustees would reconsider their decision.
R Balakrishnan
9 years ago
The medical industry is a monster. Kudos to Dr Hegde for opening our eyes, again and again. Unfortunately, when a medical emergency comes, we are left with no choices and convenience becomes the over riding concern. Not rational, but that is what happens.
sundararaman gopalakrishnan
9 years ago
Good article as usual from Dr Hegde and an eye opener of the lack of scruples in the modern medical industry..All is fair if the returns are " consistent and good"!!
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