I decided to report a colleague who had problems: Lawsuit and countersuit on reporting of medical malpractice

Dr. Ernst Heilbrunn's letter to the editor of the New York Times:

Your editorial states that almost half of those doctors "who had direct knowledge of impaired or incompetent colleagues, or who knew of significant medical errors, had failed to report them."

Twenty years ago, I was the director of a clinical department at a metropolitan area hospital. I decided to report a colleague who had problems. The hospital administration agreed and disciplinary action was started, and eventually successfully concluded.

It took me four years to settle the multiple lawsuits against me personally and as director of the department.

Based on my experience, I believe legal protection should be provided so that doctors who do their duty are not penalized with long and expensive lawsuits. If this were done, reporting would increase.

Advice: Google the name of your physician and the terms "lawsuit" and "court."

Browse for related stories in the index at the very bottom of this page, or read a story about impaired physicians.

Thanks to Dr. Heilbrunn, whose letter appeared in the NY Times of Dec. 29.

My annual physical was a lifesaver

David Evett's letter to the editor:

Stephen Smith's article: "The annual physical gets a checkup" (Health/Science, Oct. 22) questions the value of the yearly visit to the doctor. I am an active, energetic 71-year-old. Between Christmas and New Year’s 2005-2006, I had a mild case of pneumonia, which yielded promptly to antibiotics. When I went in for my annual checkup the following April, I seemed to be in excellent general health. My conscientious doctor, however, ordered a chest X-ray to see whether the pulmonary infection had done any permanent damage. This was not an official follow-up: had I not come in for the exam, he would not have ordered the X-ray. It revealed no ill effects from the pneumonia. The alert radiologist, however, noticed a suspicious shadow in the other lung. It was cancer. Early detection meant early surgery and the strong likelihood that it would not recur. I need hardly say that I am glad – as are my family, friends, and professional associates – that I schedule that exam every spring.

Advice to elderly pneumonia survivors: Pneumonia can be dangerous for older people, so make sure the doctor follows up to ensure the infection has completely cleared up.

Read another prevention story.