[loudin]

I really wish people talked to others working in the medical industry before jumping to conclusions about medical practices and norms.

Surgeons are increasingly portrayed by the media as greedy and worthy of increased oversight. The reality of the situation is that surgeons are just like you and me - in fact probably better than you in me in a lot of ways.

The vast majority assume a crushing amount of debt and go through 10+ years of schooling for an intensely demanding job that places them in life-or-death situations on a daily basis. And that's before dealing with the lawsuits, shrinking income due to insurance cheaping out on procedures, and the general distrust from the public.

The bottom line is that situations like these are rare. And instituting a system geared towards knee-jerk reactions is going to dramatically affect the ability of good doctors who make genuine mistakes. It's going to scare away intelligent people from the field who want to do good, but would be legitimately afraid of losing their livelihood in a lawsuit or protracted legal process. And it's going to affect the public, who will be likely left with a lower-quality medical system.

[corresation]

The bottom line is that situations like these are rare.

The article is quite specifically about a rare, incredibly egregious example, and indeed many of the protagonists of the story are countless other medical professionals who wanted this dealt with. I'm not sure what your opposition is about, as you seem to be refuting a position that no one actually holds.

It is absolutely outrageous that this was not dealt with earlier, and that is what the story is about. Texas is hardly alone -- here in Ontario it is well known that the same thing happens: grossly incompetent practitioners are protected by a system that other practitioners do not defend and do not want.