We should warn you ahead of time, the information below is pretty scary.

As technology takes over medical facilities in the form of computerized records, smartphones, and even TV screens, doctors are doing what the rest of us do: they’re getting distracted.

Yes, people in the medical industry have been reporting a serious problem with what is being called “distracted doctoring.”

We’re not talking about the occasional glance at the TV screen in a dental office. We’re talking about texting while caring for a patient; checking Facebook while assisting on an operation; and making personal phone calls on wireless headsets while performing surgery.

This is terrifying stuff. You put your life in the hands of a medical expert, and at your moment of greatest need, they’re making travel plans and looking at friends’ photos.

Technology is so useful in streamlining health care that it will ever be fully banned from hospitals or operating rooms. But you deserve better than medical professionals who don’t give you their total focus, no matter how routine they may think your procedure is.

If possible, you should let your doctor know that distractions are a concern of yours before undergoing any serious medical procedure. That’s the best way to prevent this problem – let them know you’re aware of it and that you take it seriously.

But if, God forbid, you are injured in surgery or through medical malpractice, you should contact our attorneys as soon as you can. We’ll investigate your case and consider all possibilities for why this occurred, including distracted doctoring.

__

(Photo by Sanja Gjenero)