Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 16:25:40

From: Michael Furmston

Subject: Warnings

I think this depends on the sophistication with which the batting average is compiled. In cricket it is common to compare a batsman's average against Bangla Desh and against Australia.

There is an enormous amount of material in Kennedy's report. My impression is that the doctors concerned had not realized how badly they were doing. The director of the Bristol Royal Infirmary (also a doctor) was disciplined for not having set up a system to make them aware of this.

Michael Furmston

From: Daved Muttart
Subject: Re: ODG: warnings
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 08:58:21 -0400

Interesting, but there is a serious problem with a requirement to give such advice. Doctors will have an incentive to avoid difficult cases in order to maintain their batting averages at an elevated level. Patients with slim chances will have difficulties in obtaining treatment. Wouldn't the Bristol doctors have had a tendency to unreasonably downplay the chances of success for patients with lower chances of success in order to dissuade them from undergoing the operation, even when the operation was the clearly indicated protocol?

And statistics don't tell the whole story. Did Kennedy's inquiry disclose the factors behind the poor stats of the Bristol doctors?

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