ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Honesty in Medicine Can Benefit Physicians

by Karen Appold • December 7, 2015

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version
s_l/SHUTTERSTOCK.com

Image Credit: s_l/SHUTTERSTOCK.com

In 1985, endoscopic sinus diagnosis and treatment were introduced into the United States. James Stankiewicz, MD, professor in the department of otolaryngology head and neck surgery at Chicago’s Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, took one of the first courses offered in the revolutionary technique and began performing the surgeries. “It was not long before I realized that complications could occur with the surgery,” he said. “So, despite my enthusiasm for beginning to perform this surgery, it was quite disturbing that if I make mistake it could result in eye injury, brain injury, or severe hemorrhage.”

You Might Also Like

No related posts.

Explore This Issue
December 2015

After having several patients with such complications, he thought others would view him as a “bad” sinus surgeon if he reported them. “No one likes to air their dirty laundry; it is embarrassing,” Dr. Stankiewicz said.

But then he consulted with some colleagues who enlightened him about the importance of honesty in medicine. “If you come forward, it would benefit a lot of other physicians to know that although the surgery can have outstanding results, complications can happen, and you should become aware of them.”

James Stankiewicz, MDYou can’t move forward unless you’re able to analyze a mistake, learn from it, and determine how to avoid it in the future. This takes bravery and humility, but, in the end, you will tremendously benefit yourself as well as your colleagues. —James Stankiewicz, MD

So, he published “Complications of Endoscopic Intranasal Ethmoidectomy,” the first paper in the literature to talk about complications related to endoscopic sinus surgery (Laryngoscope. 1987;97:1270-1273). “Instead of getting negative comments and concerns about my surgical ability, it created an academic niche for me and contributed toward my career, even though it’s a dubious distinction,” Dr. Stankiewicz said. “I became the person invited to lecture and write chapters about complications related to this surgery.”

Over the years, Dr. Stankiewicz has expanded this niche by continuing to write papers on the topic and turning what could be deemed a negative into something positive (Laryngoscope. 1989;99:686-690; Laryngoscope. 2011;121:2684-2701). “The whole point when dealing with errors in medicine is that it’s best to talk about them,” he said. “You can’t move forward unless you’re able to analyze a mistake, learn from it, and determine how to avoid it in the future. This takes bravery and humility, but, in the end, you will tremendously benefit yourself as well as your colleagues.”

Filed Under: Departments, Special Reports Tagged With: error, honesty, mistakeIssue: December 2015

You Might Also Like:

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Second Victims: The Effects of a Medical Error on Physicians Can Be Devastating
    • Is Middle Ear Pressure Affected by Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Use?
    • Keeping Watch for Skin Cancers on the Head and Neck
    • Complications for When Physicians Change a Maiden Name
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Rating Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Severity: How Do Two Common Instruments Compare?
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • What Happens to Medical Students Who Don’t Match?
    • Complications for When Physicians Change a Maiden Name
    • Qualitative Research Shows How Patients Feel About Quality-of-Life Issues
    • How to: A Dynamic Endonasal Columellar Strut Placement
    • Second Victims: The Effects of a Medical Error on Physicians Can Be Devastating
    • Advanced Degrees Can Help Otolaryngologists Better Understand the Business of Medicine
    • Laser Laryngeal Surgery Is Safe Under THRIVE

Polls

Have you ever been, or have you ever known someone who has been a second victim?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Preferences

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2023 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939