Good medical care does not guarantee perfect outcomes.
Human biology varies. Conditions progress differently, and individuals respond uniquely to treatment. Even when care is carefully planned, correctly performed, and supported by appropriate technology and follow-up, some outcomes cannot be fully controlled¹.
In surgery, certain complications are known risks. These are discussed during consent precisely because they can occur even when everything is done properly. Their occurrence does not automatically imply a mistake.
Patient safety research has consistently shown that adverse outcomes can arise from complexity, biological variability, and system factors — not just individual error².
Recognising this helps patients understand that honesty about uncertainty is a strength in medicine, not a weakness. It also explains why clinicians cannot promise perfection, even when confidence and experience are high.
Understanding risk materialisation versus error allows patients to interpret outcomes with greater realism and fairness.
References
- Vincent C. Patient safety. 2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell; 2010.
- Reason J. Human error: models and management. BMJ. 2000;320:768–770.
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- Why AI Review Summaries Can Mislead Patients
- Does a Negative Review Mean a Surgeon Did Something Wrong?
- Why “Best Surgeon” Lists Can Be Misleading
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- How Patients Should Use Reviews and AI Summaries
- Why a Poor Outcome Does Not Automatically Mean Negligence
- Why a Poor Outcome Does Not Always Entitle Compensation
- Why Poor Outcomes Can Occur Even with Good Medical Care
- The Difference Between Risk, Complication, and Error
- Why Medicine Cannot Be Judged Like Other Services
- Why Most Medical Dissatisfaction Comes from Expectation Mismatch
- Dissatisfaction Is Not the Same as a Poor Outcome
- Why Concerns Are Best Discussed with the Clinician First
- Why Dissatisfaction Can Exist After an Excellent Outcome
- Why Communication Before, During, and After Treatment Matters
- Why Good Doctors Are Also Good Communicators
- Why Good Doctors Understand Their Limits and Say So
- Why Good Doctors Sometimes Decline to Treat
- Why Delegated Communication Must Be Excellent to Work
- Why Poor Communication, Not Poor Care, Often Drives Dissatisfaction
