Such scenes are not only wirtten into soap opera scripts; they are also common place in many hospitals. I've seen them.
From the standpoint of the patients, they have the right to know about their medical conditions and treatment. This information should be recorded in detail in the medical records already.
However, the operating procedures inside the OR are not easily understood by the patient.
Therefore, a physician who has done his or her very best would have no way of defending himself or herself, should questions arise regarding the procedure.
Actually, video recording of the surgery is a kind of medical record-keeping.
Therefore, if a procedure could be recorded with the patient's consent and paid out of the patient's pocket, then not only could unnecessary misunderstanding and disputes be avoided, but surgeons could also further refine their skills by watching their own taped performances.
Taur Jy Jyh is chief of internal medicine at the Capital Branch of Taipei Hospital.
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