Social Conditions That Promote Shame & Anger

I love this podcast and am loving listening to the shame series. I just finished the episode 7 of the shame series on lawsuits [Ep. 7 “On Trial”], and I feel an overwhelming need to step back and look at the broader cultural context that forces medical malpractice claims.

I'm thinking about the patient in her 30's who became disabled under Dr. Gita's care. The loss of agency and income the patient experienced must be quite painful. Experiencing a lawsuit for a doctor is also deeply painful.

If we lived in a society that supports us to live a full life when we become disabled (most of us will experience varying levels of disability as life goes on) there would be much less drive to seek financial compensation for unlucky health outcomes. Imagine if, when we become disabled, we could count on reliable access to good medical care, medical equipment, and personal support, all without having to rely on an income.

While suing a doctor is painful and costly, it might be viewed by a recently disabled person or their family as a way to help make ends, which have suddenly tightened unexpectedly, meet.

How much anger and pain on both sides could we relieve if we spent our money on good health care for everyone, regardless of their ability to work, rather than on malpractice litigation? Not to mention disability insurance!