For the past week or so, I have heard from some of you regarding the demonstration at Hopkins on Oct. 4.  I have not responded to anyone individually and will try my best to address everyones concerns here and now.    

 

  1.  Yes,  "Hopkins might well be the safest hospital in the nation", but bad things still go wrong there and sadly, the bad outcomes are not addressed as they should be.   So, if this is the best hospital in our country, consider the worst, not to mention  all of the other hospitals somewhere in the middle.  

 

2.   "This hospital is not the one that  caused my loss".   As a symbol for all of the broken hearts and shortened lives, or lives altered forever by this epidemic, this demonstration will tell the public that we are outraged and  tired of this needless suffering.  There are nearly 200,000 preventable deaths per year from medical errors, this does not include other outcomes that cause iatrogenic injury or death which bring the numbers up substantially.    

 

3. " Hopkins has a great policy on disclosure" , apparently not all the time or the Clarkes would not be doing this.

 

4.   Someone might see me there and and this will "undo" all the good I have done in patient safety.     There is apparently not enough good.   My mother has been dead for 11 years, I have been  patiently trying to work within the system to help change it for nearly 8 of those years.   Yes, many wonderful and dedicated people are on the inside trying to change the system, but there are NOT enough of them.   They need our help as a society demanding better quality, transparency and truth at all costs to recruit others to help them make the changes needed.    They need our help in cleaning up their house now.       A peaceful demonstration will tell all Americans that we must have 0 tolerance for medical errors, nothing less is good enough for our country. 

 

5. " I don't even know these people, I cannot protest for them" .   You are NOT protesting for them, you are protesting for you, for all Americans, and for the millions dead and injured by this monster that no one seems to know how to tame.  

 

 

6.   "This is not about tort reform".   In a way it is,  you see, stopping the iatrogenic injury and death is by far the most effective way to deal with the tort reform issue.    

 

 

The Clarkes are brave people who have the courage to do this, please support them.

Our society is in denial, this demonstration will open many eyes, the press covers large demonstrations, not small ones.   

 

Please reconsider attending this demonstration, the more faces, the more impact.   Below is the press release....

 

For Immediate Release CONTACT:
> > > September 4, 2006 Jim and Joan
> > > Clarke
> > > Factfinders27@...
> > > 610-421-8300
> > >
> > >
> > > PEOPLE AGAINST MEDICAL MALPRACTICE OPPOSES JOHNS
> > > HOPKINS ALTERING
> > > AND DESTROYING MEDICAL RECORDS TO AVOID
> > > ACCOUNTABILITY
> > >
> > > Which is safer for you, being in the streets of
> > any
> > > city in the country or
> > > being in any hospitals in these cities?
> > >
> > > Nearly 195,000 people in the US died each year
> as
> > a
> > > result of preventable
> > > medical errors in 2000, 2001, 2002 according to
> a
> > > study of 37 million patient
> > > records that was released by HealthGrades, the
> > > leading healthcare rating
> > > organization (www.healthgrades.com).
> > >
> > > In the FBI Uniform Crime Report 2002 for all US
> > > cities, the total number of
> > > homicides was 16,204.
> > >
> > > Comparing this information, we find the
> following
> > > statistics:
> > >
> > > Preventable Deaths in Hospitals
> > > Homicides
> > > 195,000 per year 16,204 per year
> > > 534 per day 44 per day
> > > 23 per hour 2 per hour
> > >
> > > The answer to the question is you are safer in
> the
> > > streets of any city in the
> > > US than in any of our hospitals.
> > >
> > > Missing from this data are the countless
> thousands
> > > of patients each year who
> > > are maimed and catastrophically disabled by
> > > preventable medical errors.
> > > These victims and their families suffer severe
> > > physical, emotional, and economic
> > > ruin for the rest of their lives.
> > >
> > > It is time for these victims and their families
> to
> > > have a public voice and
> > > speak out about the permanent damages they
> suffer
> > > at the hands of these
> > > medical criminals.
> > >
> > > People Against Medical Malpractice (PAMM) is
> > > organizing a patient safety
> > > demonstration in front of Johns Hopkins
> Hospital,
> > > located at 600 North Wolfe
> > > Street in Baltimore, Maryland, to sound the
> alarm
> > > to the ever-growing danger
> > > that exists in our American hospitals. On
> > > Wednesday, October 4, 2006 (raindate
> > > October 11th) there will be a press conference
> at
> > > 11:30am and demonstration
> > > follows immediately.
> > >
> > > This particular hospital system has proven
> itself
> > > to be especially
> > > dangerous, nearly deadly to our family. They
> have
> > > evaded all responsibility. We are
> > > urging hospital victims to join us in making a
> > > stand against these
> > > atrocities.
> > >
> > > Please use this opportunity to make a difference
> > in
> > > your life and the lives
> > > of others who will become victims of preventable
> > > medical errors.
> > >
> > > Share this email with everybody in your address
> > > book. There is strength in
> > > numbers.
> > >
> > > To participate in the demonstration, email us by
> > > September 27, 2006 of your
> > > intention at: Factfinders27@...
> > >
> > > Your participation is important.
> > >
> > > We will see you in front of Johns Hopkins
> Hospital
> > > on October 4th.
> > >