After the Error: Speaking Out About Patient Safety to Save Lives

by Susan McIver, Robin Wyndham

Medical errors kill 24,000 Canadians each year, adversely affect hundreds of thousands, and cost close to two billion dollars. Victims of medical errors and their families who speak out often do so at considerable emotional, psychological, and financial expense. But their willingness to share their harrowing stories has helped to lay the foundation for numerous patient safety programs and continues to identify problems, provide solutions, and raise awareness. After the Error is a collection of true stories from across Canada, and the first book anywhere to recognize what patients affected by medical errors, their families, and immediate healthcare providers have done to prevent others from enduring similar experiences.

Genres: Nonfiction, Medicine

264 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

Reviews

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the Error: Speaking Out About Patient Safety to Save Lives by Susan Mclver, Ph.D. and Robin Wyndham is a book I won through a Goodreads Giveaway. Most of the book comprises of various stories about medical errors in Canada. The Forward notes that, while every case described in the book is Canadian, the problems they bring to light are all over the world. I somewhat disagree, but I'll touch on that later.

I enjoyed the stories and many nearly brought tears to my eyes. The stories are very short compared to the descriptions of the aftermath. After the events, the actions of the family are provided in great detail. The book goes into everything the families had to do to find their answers, how they interacted with the media and the legal trials that resulted. The point of the books is as a reference so that people will be able to advocate for their own health. After reading After the Error, I have committed the following advice to heart for my own well being should I need medical care.

Read my complete review at Nerd Book Reviews