But when the regime becomes responsible for appointing its own critics, the public eye which should watch, observe and report malpractices, flaws and shortcomings; how can we expect the media and the press to perform these vital functions?
What is being suggested, instead, is that there are better ways of holding individual and institutional healthcare providers accountable than our traditional processes of reporting malpractice payments and suing physicians.
In fact, many doctors report that malpractice premiums have shot up.
Later this month Robert Francis, a barrister, will conclude a report into malpractice and neglect at a Staffordshire hospital between 2005 and 2009.
They commented that the government seemed 'suspicious' of private practices, and were quick to report any malpractice or misconduct, yet ignored the irregularities in government hospitals: "Government does not bother for mistakes done by Government staff but in case of private doctors they are very strict.
Multiple research methods, largely retrospective, have been used to examine the epidemiology of diagnostic error (for an extensive overview on incidence, see Graber's article in this issue) 10 Commonly used data sources include reports of malpractice claims, 6 11 chart reviews of selected diagnoses or hospital admissions 2 12 and autopsy reports.
The uncommon prosecution had ignited deep concern among health care workers and advocates for whistle-blowers about a potential chilling effect on the reporting of malpractice.
Now Mr. Stewart is to testify on Wednesday before the House Commerce Committee on the latest effort to put the database, the National Practitioner Data Bank, on the Internet and add criminal convictions to the reports of malpractice awards and license suspensions.
Mari E. Robinson, executive director of the Texas Medical Board, has warned in a blistering letter to prosecutors that the case will have "a significant chilling effect" on the reporting of malpractice.
