1)What point is Goldman trying to make with his baseball analogy at the beginning of his talk?
2)Goldman tells the story of Mrs. Drucker whom he treated for congestive heart failure. He says that he made several mistakes. What mistakes did Goldman make?
3)After Mrs. Drucker died, what did Goldman experience emotionally? Do you think many people experience the emotions that he went through?
4)As you continued to listen to Goldman’s talk, were you surprised to hear about how similar situations (to Mrs. Drucker’s) continued to happen again and again throughout his career? Does knowing this change your opinion of him as a doctor?
5)Goldman proclaims that there are two types of doctors in this system that promote a denial of mistakes. Explain what he means by this and the issue with it.
1) Goldman is trying to make the point that in both baseball and medicine, mistakes can have serious consequences. Just as a pitcher's mistake can result in a home run, a doctor's mistake can result in harm to a patient.
2) Goldman made several mistakes with Mrs. Drucker, including not listening to her concerns, not considering her husband's input, and not recognizing the severity of her condition sooner.
3) After Mrs. Drucker died, Goldman experienced feelings of guilt, regret, and deep emotional pain. Many people may experience similar emotions when they lose a patient, as healthcare providers have a deep sense of responsibility for their patients' well-being.
4) It was surprising to hear about how similar situations continued to happen throughout Goldman's career, but it also humanizes him as a doctor. It shows that even experienced and skilled physicians can make mistakes, and emphasizes the importance of learning from those mistakes to improve patient care.
5) Goldman explains that there are "cowboys" and "flashlight" doctors in the medical system. Cowboys are those who deny mistakes and continue their practices without reflection, while flashlight doctors are those who acknowledge mistakes, learn from them, and strive to improve. The issue with the denial of mistakes is that it can lead to repeated errors and harm to patients, whereas acknowledging and learning from mistakes can lead to better patient outcomes and overall improvement in healthcare practices.