Re: Comical Ollie tweets about the demise of a compadre of ours (presumably) Archived Message
Posted by dan on May 29, 2023, 6:55 am, in reply to "Re: Comical Ollie tweets about the demise of a compadre of ours (presumably)"
Medical Nemesis is a polemic and the medical establishment is an easy target. One of the privileges of working in the NHS I that the decisions I make when performing a test or a procedure are that it is intended to help the patient not that it will improve my bank balance. I acknowledge that like Andrew Marr I would say that or I wouldnt be where I am. Its certainly true by comparison with doctors working in private systems which pay by the test. We've already discussed a society unable to face death but I have no problem using technology to saving the life of a 20 year old with pneumonia. A week in intensive care relying on machines can return them to fruitful life of normal lifespan. Knowing where the boundary between valuable and harmful lies is difficult but there's no way of knowing how things will turn out before you start. Safety has become a focus. In the needed downtime between clinical weeks I am a safety investigator for the organisation, of sorts. It is certainly essential to deflate one's own and others ego. Socrates, 'the only thing that I know is that I know nothing' is my guide. As we get more expert we should find it easier to recognise and manage our own limits and medical uncertainty but this isn't always the case. Enjoy the book. Cheers, dan
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