How to avoid medical errors, how to respond and relate to them: a review of the scientific monograph «Defects in the provision of medical care»

Abstract

Currently, the number of judicial proceedings on real and alleged offenses and disputes in area of provision of medical care has been exponentially increased. Some of such proceedings become publicly disclosed, but many more of them remain unnoted in mass media and civilian society as a whole. Increasing number of medical doctors has been accused of criminal offenses, being more often sentenced to real terms of imprisonment, showing a clear tendency to increase gravity of responsibility applied to medical doctors. This publication represents a peer-reviewed response of paramount importance to the book by A.A. Ponkina and I.V. Ponkin «Defects in the provision of medical care» raising ontological, value and technical issues for negative outcome of medical care – by the fault or in the absence of the fault of the doctor. The book puts the scientific basis beneath changes so much awaited by the Russian public health in relation to medical doctors, their social importance, objective limitlessness of their opportunities and capabilities in curing sick people and saving their lives.