What do you think?
Rate this book
Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them
A primary care doctor is skeptical of his patient’s concerns. A hospital nurse or intern is unaware of a drug’s potential side effects. A physician makes the most “common” diagnosis while overlooking the signs of a rarer and more serious illness, and the patient doesn’t see the necessary specialist until it’s too late. A pharmacist dispenses the wrong drug and a patient dies as a result.
Sadly, these kinds of mistakes happen all the time. Each year, 6.1 million Americans are harmed by diagnostic mistakes, drug disasters, and medical treatments. A decade ago, the Institute of Medicine estimated that up to 98,000 people died in hospitals each year from preventable medical errors. And new research from the University of Utah, HealthGrades of Denver, and elsewhere suggests the toll is much higher.
Patient advocates and bestselling authors Joe and Teresa Graedon came face-to-face with the tragic consequences of doctors’ screwups when Joe’s mother died in Duke Hospital—one of the best in the world—due to a disastrous series of entirely preventable errors. In Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them, the Graedons expose the most common medical mistakes, from doctor’s offices and hospitals to the pharmacy counters and nursing homes. Patients across the country shared their riveting horror stories, and doctors recounted the disastrous—and sometimes deadly—consequences of their colleagues’ oversights and errors. While many patients feel vulnerable and dependent on their health care providers, this book is a startling wake-up call to how wrong doctors can be.
The good news is that we can protect ourselves, and our loved ones, by being educated and vigilant medical consumers. The Graedons give patients the specific, practical steps they need to take to ensure their the questions to ask a specialist before getting a final diagnosis, tips for promoting good communication with your doctor, presurgery checklists, how to avoid deadly drug interactions, and much more.
Whether you’re sick or healthy, young or old, a parent of a young child, or caring for an elderly loved one, Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them is an eye-opening look at the medical mistakes that can truly affect any of us—and an empowering guide that explains what we can do about it.
Sadly, these kinds of mistakes happen all the time. Each year, 6.1 million Americans are harmed by diagnostic mistakes, drug disasters, and medical treatments. A decade ago, the Institute of Medicine estimated that up to 98,000 people died in hospitals each year from preventable medical errors. And new research from the University of Utah, HealthGrades of Denver, and elsewhere suggests the toll is much higher.
Patient advocates and bestselling authors Joe and Teresa Graedon came face-to-face with the tragic consequences of doctors’ screwups when Joe’s mother died in Duke Hospital—one of the best in the world—due to a disastrous series of entirely preventable errors. In Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them, the Graedons expose the most common medical mistakes, from doctor’s offices and hospitals to the pharmacy counters and nursing homes. Patients across the country shared their riveting horror stories, and doctors recounted the disastrous—and sometimes deadly—consequences of their colleagues’ oversights and errors. While many patients feel vulnerable and dependent on their health care providers, this book is a startling wake-up call to how wrong doctors can be.
The good news is that we can protect ourselves, and our loved ones, by being educated and vigilant medical consumers. The Graedons give patients the specific, practical steps they need to take to ensure their the questions to ask a specialist before getting a final diagnosis, tips for promoting good communication with your doctor, presurgery checklists, how to avoid deadly drug interactions, and much more.
Whether you’re sick or healthy, young or old, a parent of a young child, or caring for an elderly loved one, Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them is an eye-opening look at the medical mistakes that can truly affect any of us—and an empowering guide that explains what we can do about it.
- GenresNonfictionHealthMedicine
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
33 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 26, 2012
This is not a doctor bashing book as the name implies but an enlightening lesson in how to be your own advocate. The one line in the book that I will always remember is something to the effect of, "Doctors are expected to learn more than is humanly possible for man to learn in their lifetime." I am lucky enough to have some really good doctors in my life now but in the the past I have had a few that I still have nightmares about. Mistakes as well as miracles occur in the medical profession and that is a fact of life. The main purpose of this book is to teach you how to be responsible for yourself and/or have someone you trust go with you to the doctor as a backup to take notes and be a support so that you don't come away scratching you head, wondering "Now what was it that doctor said?" It also means writing down important questions concerning your care and have ready a typed or written paper of medications, prescriptions and over the counter drugs that you take and their dosages. In other words to do your part for your medical care and there is less chance of mistakes being made. I had the unfortunate experience of thinking I had written them down my medications perfectly when I saw my new primary care physician. I mixed two up of the names of my prescriptions because the generic names were spelled very much alike and of course unpronounceable as far as I could tell. I was so embarrassed. Mistakes happen no matter how hard you try to avoid it!
The most enlightening part of the book was about the pharmacy and how major mistakes can be made because it is such an assembly line and because of the lack of professional education in some of the employees behind the counter. Years ago one of my children was accidentally given an antidepressant instead of an antibiotic by a major drug sore chain. Luckily, I caught the mistake by examining the pill and the bottle and avoided what could have been a serious medical situation for a 10 year old child.
The bottom line message of this book is... Be aware and take responsibility for yourself!
The most enlightening part of the book was about the pharmacy and how major mistakes can be made because it is such an assembly line and because of the lack of professional education in some of the employees behind the counter. Years ago one of my children was accidentally given an antidepressant instead of an antibiotic by a major drug sore chain. Luckily, I caught the mistake by examining the pill and the bottle and avoided what could have been a serious medical situation for a 10 year old child.
The bottom line message of this book is... Be aware and take responsibility for yourself!
December 24, 2018
This book is essential reading (which I'm saying not only because it was written by my parents). As the recent HBO documentary, Bleed Out, makes clear, medical errors are far too common. This book not only outlines the problem, it tells patients and their families how to prevent them and be their own best advocates.
August 8, 2011
Great tips on how to be a more educated healthcare consumer. However, the authors don't cite any background or research for the majority of the anecdotes they provide, which makes me feel like they just collected random emails from strangers without checking their veracity.
October 31, 2012
Very well researched, thorough presentation of the state of healthcare -- medical and pharmaceutical -- today. Clearly illustrates the importance of being an advocate for loved ones in the hospital, nursing homes or long term care facilities.
June 6, 2013
Very good but extremely scary.
April 19, 2016
From a long-time expert and columnist in the medical field, this book is well worth reading to better understand what can happen and the importance of using caution in making choices.
July 24, 2016
Full of useful information everyone should be aware of in order to take control of their own healthcare and be a knowledgable part of the diagnostic and treatment process.
September 20, 2022
Few books with a high Goodreads rating have so few detailed reviews. This may be due to discomfort with the recommendation of questioning everything in one's medical treatment. This can be summarized as taking responsibility for your medical care.
Not surprisingly, the book is at its most compelling when discussing pharmaceuticals. Joe Graedon is not afraid to take on medical establishment "truths".
Not surprisingly, the book is at its most compelling when discussing pharmaceuticals. Joe Graedon is not afraid to take on medical establishment "truths".
July 15, 2025
Great read and Reference.
Joe Graedon has done an amazing job putting together his research into a very thorough, yet easy to understand print. I enjoyed reading this book, not only to assist myself but my patients as well. This book is also a great reference. Once you read it, keep it around to refer to as needed. Especially as you age and may have more medical issues. Well done.
Joe Graedon has done an amazing job putting together his research into a very thorough, yet easy to understand print. I enjoyed reading this book, not only to assist myself but my patients as well. This book is also a great reference. Once you read it, keep it around to refer to as needed. Especially as you age and may have more medical issues. Well done.
October 26, 2024
A little bit scary. But it reinforces the notion that the buck stops here, i.e. with each of us. The doctors who make errors in diagnosis or prescriptions, don't get sick or suffer side effects, we do. The authors explain how to avoid them.
November 8, 2019
Worthwhile read
I enjoyed this book. I appreciate that it encourages people to take active roles in their healthcare and it is well written.
I enjoyed this book. I appreciate that it encourages people to take active roles in their healthcare and it is well written.
February 20, 2020
It was rather redundant.
October 11, 2022
I guess this just isn’t my type of book. I finished it so that I wouldn’t miss learning something about medications
November 7, 2016
Not sure I'd recommend reading it, but it wasn't a waste of time. Let me summarize this book: Take ownership of your health care because people make mistakes.
Lots of stats about mistakes in medicine. Seems to take a very critical view of physicians. Would love to fact check this book. Love the ideas about patients taking responsibility for their own care. Doctors are put in very difficult situations though and mistakes are inevitable. Big change will be needed to address some of the concerns the authors raise.
Lots of stats about mistakes in medicine. Seems to take a very critical view of physicians. Would love to fact check this book. Love the ideas about patients taking responsibility for their own care. Doctors are put in very difficult situations though and mistakes are inevitable. Big change will be needed to address some of the concerns the authors raise.
August 20, 2013
While the book is well referenced, the content is sparsely spread across far too many pages. Like many contemporary non-fiction books with bright covers written in all-caps, this reads like a listicle from the middle sections of a middling weekend newspaper which has been stretched to pad the pockets of the authors. The entire thing could have been packaged into under thirty pages but I suppose that would have been less profitable.
August 5, 2016
Excellent book that everyone should read. I checked it out from the library back in 2012, and was reminded of it when one of my Goodreads friends showed he is reading it. I think I'll get a copy to keep; it's the kind of book you want to refer to when seeking medical attention for something non-trivial.
December 30, 2020
I loved this quote in the Introduction, something we all have a tendency to forget:
“Statistics are people with the tears wiped away”—Irving Selikoff, MD
This was a frightening but interesting read, though I was already familiar with most of it. I had started reading it months ago and just now went back to finish it. It was published in 2011, so I will assume that things are even worse now.
“Statistics are people with the tears wiped away”—Irving Selikoff, MD
This was a frightening but interesting read, though I was already familiar with most of it. I had started reading it months ago and just now went back to finish it. It was published in 2011, so I will assume that things are even worse now.
June 8, 2012
Reviewed it on my blog this week -- some useful lists, some useful information. In terms of its tone: I'm concerned about medical errors, too, but the fear-mongering in the title rubs me the wrong way. All in all, probably not as useful to as many people as Oz & Roizen's book.
December 12, 2016
Enlightening
This book confirmed what I have experienced with my doctor and my husband's medical care. The arrogance of the doctors, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies is huge. The best advice is to do your own homework before you take their advise.
This book confirmed what I have experienced with my doctor and my husband's medical care. The arrogance of the doctors, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies is huge. The best advice is to do your own homework before you take their advise.
April 11, 2012
Lots of overlap and repeating in the book. Not as strong on either practical advice or case histories (the two things I was really looking for) as others in this same vein.
August 7, 2011
*pending*
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews