It takes many years of hard work and study to become a practicing physician. Alongside this, doctors owe patients a legal duty of care. Essentially, this means that they must always act in good faith and in the best interests of the patient.
The majority of doctors get this balance right, but this isn’t always the case. Some physicians believe that they have nothing else to learn, which is a dangerous attitude. When complacency creeps in, this leaves more room for medical errors. Outlined below are some of the more detrimental effects of doctor complacency.
Not keeping up with medical advances can cause problems
Medicine and medical technology are always advancing. Trials are constantly being run on new medications and new methods come to light all the time. If a doctor doesn’t stay up to date with these advancements, then their treatment methods can become outdated and dangerous.
As with all sciences, new discoveries are opening up the door to more efficient ways of tackling obstacles, and medicine is no exception. If your doctor is stuck in the past and unwilling to learn, then they are not up to the job of treating you.
Poor communication skills lead to medical disasters
Communication is a vital aspect of medicine. Firstly, doctors must converse with you to find out how you are feeling and what symptoms you have. This is a crucial stage of the diagnostic process. A failure to do this could result in something important being missed, meaning a delayed or incorrect diagnosis, which ultimately risks your condition getting worse.
Additionally, no doctor is an island. All patients are treated by medical teams, which include consultants, nurses, physicians and sometimes surgeons. Communication between team members should not be overlooked. A break in this chain could put you in danger.
If you have suffered physical harm because of complacency in a medical institution, then this could amount to negligence, which is actionable. Find out more about your legal rights by seeking some experienced guidance.