It's hard to know where to begin in dissecting this "study" ("Diagnostic Errors by Internists Often Go Unrecognized," Aug. 15, 2007, p. 1).
One hundred errors from five hospitals over 5 years? What was the total number of patients treated by internists over that time at those hospitals? Internists, like other human beings, are not perfect! That bears repeating: Internists are not perfect.
Given the researchers' benefit of residing in the heights of the ivory tower, flinging criticisms on the heads of those below like thunderbolts from Zeus (and doing as much benefit), and having the accuracy of hindsight, what is the news-worthiness of such an article? We can agree ...