Distracted doctors shouldn’t be treating patients. Whether they’re thinking about something other than the patient’s care or just want to do something else, that doctor is putting the patient at risk. Medical errors are already a serious cause for concern and a leading cause of deaths in America. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes that around one person dies each day as a result of injuries.

Things like operating on a patient when distracted or prescribing medications when you’re too tired puts a patient at risk. Doctors are only human, and they’re bound to make mistakes, but there are some things in the doctors’ control. For example, getting enough sleep and putting away electronics when patients are talking or while completing a surgery is vital.

Some doctors have actually used cellphones during medical procedures, and that’s a terrifying thought for patients. While they’re at their most vulnerable, patients need support and care, not a doctor distracted by a text message from a friend. Cellphones in the operating room are fairly common, especially since they can provide fast access to medical information or a way to reach out to other surgeons in a pinch. The problem is that technology can get in the way, and when it does, a patient could end up dead. Having a phone in your hands during surgery is also a risk, because bacteria could spread and end up giving a patient an infection.

No patient should have to worry about a distracted doctor or surgeon. If you are hurt as a result, remember that you can file a lawsuit.

Source: Fox News, “Are distracted doctors risking patients’ safety?,” Manny Alvarez, accessed Dec. 28, 2017