Here are five easy ways to prevent yourself from being a medical malpractice victim:
(1) Ask your doctor a LOT of questions, including what else could be causing my problems, or how and why did you reach this particular diagnosis?
(2) Get a second, third, or even fourth opinion. Describe your physical symptoms to the doctor without revealing the previous provider’s diagnosis.
(3) Learn your family and personal medical histories. “My Family Health Portrait,” an online tool from the U.S. Surgeon General, can help you assemble your family medical history. It can be found here: https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action. Bring the information with you to every doctors’ visit, and give it to your providers.
(4) Take a friend or a loved one with you to doctor’s visits to take notes. A second set of ears, and a set of copious notes, never hurts!
(5) Have your biopsy tests rechecked to make sure they were read correctly.
