Smartphones have a lot to offer when it comes to medical care. They can actually help you in a hospital setting, as a patient, and they can help doctors offer better care.
How do they do it? A few examples include:
- Allowing doctors to stay on top of important medical news
- Help with the exchange of electronic records and files
- Making it easier for medical professionals to communicate
- Giving doctors easy access to reference tools
As a result, many doctors carry their phones with them all the time. And, while they may use them properly and improve the care they offer, there is also a downside: Distraction.
If a doctor gets distracted by their phone, are they really going to provide the high-level care that patients deserve? A doctor who is checking his text messages while a colleague is talking, for instance, may nod in agreement even though they missed critical parts of the conversation. A doctor who is looking at her social media accounts while on duty may overlook signs and symptoms of a serious disorder in a patient in the same room.
It’s much like driving. People think they can multi-task safely, but the accident statistics show that this is not the case. In the hospital, the same thing can happen, but those mistakes are ones that really harm the patients.
If you find yourself suffering some type of harm because your doctor got distracted or otherwise failed to provide the expected level of care, make sure you are well aware of all of the legal rights you have and the steps you need to take to seek compensation.