- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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May 16, 2012
Distraction opens the door to mistakes
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
I recently spoke at a major medical meeting. As I was firing up my computer, a number of colleagues came up to talk. When it was time for me to speak, I began my presentation. About halfway through, my computer screen went blank.
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I'd forgotten to plug in my computer. Now this was a minor interruption. I took responsibility, and everything worked out fine.
We know that when we're tired or distracted, we're not at our best. In most circumstances, the resulting mistakes are trivial. We forget where we parked our car. We can't find our keys. But let me share a story with you.
At a major medical center, a patient was receiving care for cancer arising from the left kidney. Tragically, during surgery the patient's healthy right kidney was removed instead of the cancerous left kidney. Devastation for the patient, the family and the medical care team.
How could this have happened? A careful review of the records revealed that some of the individuals involved in the care of this patient had been distracted by beepers and cell phones, which affected their focus and concentration.
Most of us aren't surgeons and don't deal with life-or-death situations, but the lesson is powerful nevertheless.
When we fail to focus, we make mistakes. Knowing that, what can we do to avoid it? How can we conserve our energy? How can we protect our priorities? Please weigh in.
6 comments posted
June 25, 2012 9:43 a.m.
25-Jun-12 I would like something clarified. I see the word dyslexia used in the context when someone confuses the left direction with the right direction. They will say "left" when they really mean "right". however, when I look up the definition and symptoms of dyslexia it is defined as difficulty with reading. What then is the condition called for the right/left problem?
- Dee
May 30, 2012 5:15 p.m.
Your comments are so right on target. No matter what job or lifestyle you have, it is much too easy to be distracted by all that is happening around us. This is the reason that people should not drive while talking on their cell phones or texting. The mind just cannot function well in this situation.
- Linda
May 28, 2012 4:11 p.m.
As a retired Nurse, who worked in the medical field for over 30 yrs, I understand the stress and the overworked conditions that can lead to medical errors, but in this day and age, operating on the wrong site is inexcusable. We now have checks and double checks, we mark the area with a pen that is either to be removed, or repaired. I find no justification for the surgery error discribed in this article. Every one in the medical field must do better so these errors do not occur. I have seen progress,the last few years, such as checking name bands, date of birth, etc., before even doing something so simple as giving the patient a medication. Do not let stress be your excuse for harming your patient.
- Jo
May 24, 2012 9:50 a.m.
Some of us are people oriented, others, more task oriented. People people can adjust to distractions more easily than task people. The latter are like the absent minded professor who block out the world when they focus. When they are interrupted, they "fall to pieces".
- Roberta
May 23, 2012 3:37 p.m.
Thanks...yes, stress takes the quality and health of our daily lives away sometimes. The stress I have experienced from IDENTITY THEFT from a year and one half ago continues and has taken away many happy days away from my entire family forever. It's certainly going around the world today. However, older women are the main targets research shows. And, many of them do not report the theft to the police so it continues and continues unreported. I did report it to the police and the cyber crime detective found the criminal and the court part is over, But with all of my identification out in the world, in the last three weeks someone using my name and ID was arrested, and my airline miles I needed to make a trip were given to a "friend of mine" the agent said. Never heard of this "friend"? Let's all celebrate WORLD ELDER ABUSE DAY on JUNE 15, 2012! The color to wear is PURPLE! This ongoing stress does not add to our lives and health unless we are the ones giving care, love and support to the victims. We all can help each other every day of our lives resulting in better quality of life for us. Thanks in advance...and I have faith you will be blessed for helping others beyond your imagination.
- Dystonia Hat Lady
May 22, 2012 8:03 p.m.
Exactly what happened today! I work in surgery and was totally being distracted while trying to learn a new procedure. People kept coming in the room offering help and talking just when I really needed to concentrate on the medications I was preparing. I had to tell them I really needed some quiet so I could concentrate. I find it hard to keep my mind on my task at hand when there are too many people , all talking at once.
- Theresa
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