Anytime you go under the knife, there is a potential forlife-threatening complications.
Hospitals typically view the occasional bad outcome as inevitable, and thats true.
But many surgical injuries are avoidable, experts believe.
Thats why picking the right surgeon is so crucial to your health and safety.
Of the 2.3 million surgeries it reviewed, about 63,000 patients suffered serious injury, and 3,405 died.
Generally, complication rates range from 2 to 4 percent of all procedures.
But individual surgeons track records vary significantly, ProPublicas analysis revealed.
One group of 756 highly active surgeons didnt have a single complication over five years.
Another 1,423 doctors had only one complication occur in that time span.
The empowered patient
How can patients protect themselves?
Also gather recommendations from thehealth professionalsyou see routinely and from people whove had a similar procedure.
Spending an hour on the computer ferreting out some potentially uncomfortable facts could prevent a calamitous outcome.
Go tofsmb.organd punch Consumer Resources to get to the free tool, Learn About Your Physician.
(Go tocertificationmatters.orgor call 866-ASK-ABMS toll-free).
Board certified means a physician has undergone lengthy training in a specialty and passed a stringent exam.
Board eligible means the doctor has finished the appropriate residency but has yet to pass the test.
Its OK for young doctors to be board eligible they have a few years to take the test.
