10 Die on Average Every Month from Medical Malpractice In Guam Alone

Opinion by David Lubofsky for Kandit News & Views

It’s estimated using conservative national statistics that approximately 10 die each month on Guam from medical negligence.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that one percent of doctors are responsible for 32 percent of medical malpractice claims. This means that doctors who are sued once for malpractice are more likely to be sued again.

REPEAT SINNERS!!

Based on this information, the actual number on Guam who die from medical negligence, in my opinion, far exceeds the 10 per month based on the quoted conservative national statistics. Doctors on Guam who have histories of or who commit medical errors are not held accountable and continue to practice medicine with no mitigation. Virtually, they could negligently kill your daughter in the morning then be your cousin’s doctor in the afternoon without any notice or accountability.

Injured, killed or sexual misconduct victims by negligent Guam doctors for all practical purposes have no recourse to hold doctors accountable, allowing these repeat sinners, ahh negligent doctors, to continue to the next patient without mitigation.

Guam has nearly no medical consumer protection as compared to the rest of the USA. The failed Guam Board of Medical Examiners, chaired by Nathaniel Berg, has never ever in six years sided with a patient complaint against a Guam doctor, which highly contrasts with national statistics among other medical boards.

I understand this isn’t your concern today. It wasn’t mine also until it became my reality and it was too late then. Don’t wait, as now is the time to protect your family and seek change to improve medical accountability and improve medical care on Guam.

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David Lubofsky is a resident of Tamuning and an outspoken advocate for medical accountability.