[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/when-it-comes-to-patient-care\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/when-it-comes-to-patient-care\/","headline":"When It Comes to Patient Care, Who Is Really Running the Show?","name":"When It Comes to Patient Care, Who Is Really Running the Show?","description":"When you are admitted to the hospital for an illness or for surgery, you meet all sorts of people. From lab workers to surgeons, we never know just how many people actually play a role in our care. And very often, you may be shocked to learn, there is no one at the center of this web of...","datePublished":"2013-05-13","dateModified":"2026-01-19","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/author\/medmalpractice\/#Person","name":"Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson","url":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/author\/medmalpractice\/","identifier":10,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bc93acd826155387e17c1b11bab540735f6dbf8c8a2b85a2f8f2eeda668152a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bc93acd826155387e17c1b11bab540735f6dbf8c8a2b85a2f8f2eeda668152a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Medmalpractice-Logo-1.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Medmalpractice-Logo-1.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/patient-care-running-the-show1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/patient-care-running-the-show1.jpg","height":356,"width":481},"url":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/when-it-comes-to-patient-care\/","about":["Medical Malpractice Law"],"wordCount":465,"articleBody":"When you are admitted to the hospital for an illness or for surgery, you meet all sorts of people. From lab workers to surgeons, we never know just how many people actually play a role in our care. And very often, you may be shocked to learn, there is no one at the center of this web of people orchestrating your care.If your admission is scheduled, you\u2019ll meet the people on staff when you arrive. You\u2019ll have a nurse visiting your room, a phlebotomist taking your blood, and perhaps even a visit from the doctor. Someone will come and have you sign forms, your surgeon may pay you a visit, and your anesthesiologist will stop by, too. Then the shift changes, and so do the faces. If you enter the hospital through the emergency room or if you have a disease that requires a specialist\u2019s care, the number of people involved only increases.So, in this constant ebb and flow of people from your room, it would be comforting to know that one single person is monitoring the medication, the advice, the instructions, and the procedures. Unfortunately, according to a report in Kaiser Health News, that isn\u2019t always true.\u201cNobody is responsible for coordinating care,\u201d said a Harvard Health policy analyst, Dr. Lucian Leape, who calls this the \u201cdirty little secret\u201d about health care.This lack of coordination leads to the number one cause of\u00a0hospital errors: communication breakdowns.In 1999, a report on the lack of coordination brought attention to the issue. Since then, although things have improved, there is still much room for improvement.In 2010, it was estimated that around 15,000 Medicare patients\u00a0every single month\u00a0suffered harm in the hospital that contributed to their deaths.While the hospital may deem someone to be a patient\u2019s general coordinator of care, a hospitalist perhaps, families and patients often feel like no one is at the center of their care.\u201cUnless the patient has written it down, they will say, \u2018Someone was here, but I don\u2019t remember what they said,\u2019\u201d explained Ilene Corina of PULSE, an organization for patient safety.So, when you are in the hospital and your head spins from the number of people involved, appoint a family member or loved one to help keep track of who is who and where their stories diverge. If you get conflicting information from various medical staff, speak up. Your vocal self-advocacy could prevent a serious medical mistake.Indiana Medical Malpractice LawyerIf you are the victim of a hospital error or surgical mistake, you deserve justice. Our attorney at the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson may be able to help. Contact our office today to discuss your\u00a0legal options\u00a0in a\u00a0medical malpractice case. Call for a free consultation."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"When It Comes to Patient Care, Who Is Really Running the Show?","item":"https:\/\/www.medmalpractice.law\/blog\/when-it-comes-to-patient-care\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]