So, should we draw an arrow, onto our bodies, showing the doctors...

..which knee, etc. to operate on?!

jeez.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-me-stjoseph1mar01,0,6552729.story

Hospital in Orange probed for surgical mix-ups

St. Joseph Hospital in Orange is under state investigation for mistakenly doing knee-repair surgery on a patient's good knee, the third "wrong-site" procedure to occur at Orange County's largest hospital since January 2006.

The Feb. 15 operation was intended to repair a patient's left knee but was "inadvertently performed on the right knee," according to a prepared statement released by the hospital in response to questions from The Times. Citing privacy concerns, the hospital declined to identify the patient or release other details.

"No patient should ever have to go through an experience like this," said Dr. Raymond Casciari, St. Joseph's chief medical officer, in an e-mailed statement Thursday. "There is no room for error when it comes to patient care. One case is one too many."

My little sister has RA, and has had three joint replacement surgeries. They always mark the correct joint with a black magic marker, just to be safe. It's supposed to be standard procedure to do that in every hospital.

As much as I believe the doctor's should be professional enough to be able to figure it out, I believe I also have some responsibility as the ultimate manager of my own care to assure that such types of mistakes are not made.

:hi:

:hi:

To have the patient write "Operate Here" or "Not This One" to identify which limb is to be worked on or left alone.

How are these mistakes happening?

other than that, I'm out of brilliant observations.

The night before the surgeon comes in and with a marker drew all over me where and how he was going to cut.


It's an excellent and down to earth practical idea. I was surprised to learn that not all surgeons do this.

surgery so you don't get that flesh eating infection :scared:

5. Beginning three to five days before surgery, shower or bathe daily with chlorhexidine soap. Various brands can be bought without a prescription. It will help remove any dangerous bacteria you may be carrying on your own skin

http://www.hospitalinfection.org/

for after because this soap dries out your skin to the point of flaky itchiness.

Hopefully, I won't need it. But good to know.

Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

Bake

It's really sad... how our rights are slowly being taken away from us, year after year.

Hey, at least we know now!!