Medical Emergency! Jamaica Needs Patient Care Advocacy Now

"Only one rule in medical ethics need concern you - that action on your part which best conserves the interests of your patient."  ~Martin H. Fischer

 Recently I ran into a former university colleague who is now married to a medical doctor. I congratulated him on his impressive professional accomplishments in the financial sector. He in turn congratulated me on the achievements and success of our company in educating and empowering persons to access the justice system. In the same breath he remarked that I was creating enemies in the medical field, especially among some doctors. I paused for a while, disappointed but not surprised. Then I gave him a calm but firm response "Ethical medical practitioners who are faithful to their oath would embrace patient education & empowerment, not scorn it."

Patient advocacy is concerned with supporting and promoting the rights of the patient in the health care arena, improving access to and equity in the delivery of health care, and to generally enhance health policy initiatives that promote quality, safety and availability.

There is no question that Jamaicans would benefit immensely from strident patient advocates, particularly those who take a proactive approach to identifying & bringing to public attention weaknesses and lapses in the health system which may compromise health care delivery. Weaknesses such as insufficient medicine, inadequate doctors on call, limited machinery, outdated testing equipment, unacceptable waiting periods for treatment and care, among others. In fact, many of our loved ones could be saved, live longer lives and avoid undue pain and suffering if every patient knew their rights and if they had powerful advocates to intervene on their behalf before its too late.

While we don't fit the definition of  patient advocates, Future Services International has been providing financial and litigant support for victims of medical negligence since we first opened in 2008. We've seen some of the worst cases you could ever imagine. Unfortunately, many of the victims paid the ultimate price, and now it is their grieving loved ones who are left pursuing negligence and wrongful death cases. For years there were many persons who we just could not help, because they were unable to find doctors willing to write a report implicating a colleague. For years, lawyers have lamented the pervasive culture of silence among doctors when allegations of medical negligence surface. Without expert medical opinion that the accused practitioner breached the standard of care, a case for medical negligence is practically dead. There are some exceptions, for example obvious cases such as incorrect lab tests, or foreign items left in patients after surgery such as syringes, scissors or gauze, which show up in post surgery x-rays.   

Desperate to find a cure for these injustices we engaged a leading Canadian health care risk management company to help us identify doctors who can provide expert opinions for Jamaican victims. So far the partnership has been very successful. We are especially grateful for the kindness of the experts in reducing their fees by 50% or more in order to assist Jamaicans who can't afford the standard fees. Victims of medical negligence have been able to receive independent expert medical reports which they can use as evidence in their cases against accused doctors. This is a promising start to what we hope will be the end of widespread incidents of medical negligence, which will be reduced once we hold persons accountable for breaching the acceptable standard of health care.