wink news Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
the weather authority Another warm afternoon for your Tuesday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warm Tuesday afternoon with stray rain showers expected in our inland communities.
port charlotte Suspected impaired driver in custody after slamming into Port Charlotte home’s garage The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and North Port Police Department are investigating a crash involving a suspected impaired driver slamming into a home garage.
NORTH FORT MYERS Cape Coral man faces 16 charges after fleeing multiple traffic stops Marcus Selby, 24, is facing multiple charges after a dramatic series of events involving Cape Coral police and Florida Highway Patrol troopers.
SANIBEL Sanibel residents brace for traffic surge with new advisory and app aid Sanibel residents are bracing for increased traffic as the city issued a “heavy traffic advisory” for the entire week.
FGCU FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injury FGCU women’s basketball player Casey Santoro is back on the floor after suffering an Achilles injury a season ago.
BABCOCK RANCH Heaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists recently captured and collared the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded.
Lee County deputies using VR for safe high-risk training scenarios The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has taken a significant step forward in training by incorporating virtual reality technology.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
NAPLES Persistent red tide bloom off Naples to Boca Grande raises concerns As the weather warms up, more people are heading to the beach. However, those with beach plans in Southwest Florida should be aware of the persistent red tide affecting the coastline.
FORT MYERS Community aids in search for missing pitbull after Lee County crash A crash on I-75 near Daniels Parkway in Lee County turned a routine drive into a heartbreaking search for a missing pet.
LEHIGH ACRES Community supporting Lehigh Acres church after destructive fire A massive fire recently burned the Christ at Crossroads Church in Lehigh Acres, and the community is rallying to support the church’s recovery.
FORT MYERS Kids battling cancer in Fort Myers receive cuddly companions from donor Children battling cancer in Fort Myers are finding comfort in a special friend thanks to a generous donor.
2 SWFL veterans find relief at Harry Chapin Food Bank Two veterans in Southwest Florida routinely receive vital support through local food distributions, highlighting a significant issue affecting many who have served our country.
wink news Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
the weather authority Another warm afternoon for your Tuesday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warm Tuesday afternoon with stray rain showers expected in our inland communities.
port charlotte Suspected impaired driver in custody after slamming into Port Charlotte home’s garage The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and North Port Police Department are investigating a crash involving a suspected impaired driver slamming into a home garage.
NORTH FORT MYERS Cape Coral man faces 16 charges after fleeing multiple traffic stops Marcus Selby, 24, is facing multiple charges after a dramatic series of events involving Cape Coral police and Florida Highway Patrol troopers.
SANIBEL Sanibel residents brace for traffic surge with new advisory and app aid Sanibel residents are bracing for increased traffic as the city issued a “heavy traffic advisory” for the entire week.
FGCU FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injury FGCU women’s basketball player Casey Santoro is back on the floor after suffering an Achilles injury a season ago.
BABCOCK RANCH Heaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists recently captured and collared the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded.
Lee County deputies using VR for safe high-risk training scenarios The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has taken a significant step forward in training by incorporating virtual reality technology.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
NAPLES Persistent red tide bloom off Naples to Boca Grande raises concerns As the weather warms up, more people are heading to the beach. However, those with beach plans in Southwest Florida should be aware of the persistent red tide affecting the coastline.
FORT MYERS Community aids in search for missing pitbull after Lee County crash A crash on I-75 near Daniels Parkway in Lee County turned a routine drive into a heartbreaking search for a missing pet.
LEHIGH ACRES Community supporting Lehigh Acres church after destructive fire A massive fire recently burned the Christ at Crossroads Church in Lehigh Acres, and the community is rallying to support the church’s recovery.
FORT MYERS Kids battling cancer in Fort Myers receive cuddly companions from donor Children battling cancer in Fort Myers are finding comfort in a special friend thanks to a generous donor.
2 SWFL veterans find relief at Harry Chapin Food Bank Two veterans in Southwest Florida routinely receive vital support through local food distributions, highlighting a significant issue affecting many who have served our country.
Medical professionals. (Credit: MGN) Should doctors, specialists or surgeons apologize to patients if they think they’ve made a mistake that caused an injury? Many in the medical profession have feared that admitting to being wrong, even if unintentional, would subject a doctor to a malpractice lawsuit by one of the many TV lawyers stalking the airwaves. “The thought of apologizing for a bad result was anathema,” said Dr. Darryl Weiman, a professor at the University of Tennessee. “The apology may be … interpreted by the patient as physical negligence.” But now 37 states have adopted “apology laws” allowing medical professionals, which could include nurses or therapists, to admit an error — even in writing — without having the apology used against them in court. Proponents of these laws say they’re good because everyone can make a mistake. Admitting the error, even one as serious as failing to detect cancer early on, could help the relationship between doctor and patient, they say, and also clear the doctor’s conscience of unnecessary guilt. Insurers that provide medical malpractice coverage also hope such laws will minimize the number of resentment lawsuits. Indeed, the lack of “forthright communication” with the injured patient probably makes a malpractice suit more likely in the long run, according to Dr. Weiman. Does “apology legislation” work? But a recent study by Vanderbilt University entitled “Sorry Is Never Enough” indicates that all this “apology legislation” isn’t working. Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management analyzed malpractice claims for 90 percent of the nation’s health care providers in a single specialty, both surgeons and nonsurgeons. The study found that about two-thirds of the suits went to court and that state apology laws made no difference — at least for surgeons. For nonsurgeons in states with apology laws, however, these claims were 46 percent more likely to result in a lawsuit. The Vanderbilt researchers said this was “probably” due to the fact that surgical errors — such as leaving a sponge inside a patient — were more obvious than failing to diagnose a symptom such as a shadow that could represent a tumor or whether a patient is suicidal. “The truth is, one of the things that makes my clients suspicious is when the doctor is too nice to them,” said Allan Zelikovic, who heads the medical malpractice division at law firm Weitz & Luxenberg. “A normally gruff guy suddenly put his arm around you …” Medical malpractice lawsuits have dwindled in recent years and are now only about half of what they were at the turn of the century, according to a study by Dr. David Belk. One big reason: Everyone is angry about the cost of health care and looking to do something about it. One thing states and the federal government have done is tighten the requirements for filing a malpractice suit and proving wrongdoing. Fewer and smaller settlements The number of paid settlements against medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathy (DOs) declined from 16,000 in 2001 to around 8,500 in 2016. Settlement amounts also fell from more than $6 billion (in 2017 dollars) to less than $4 billion, according to Dr. Belk’s study. One reason is that many patients who suffer medical negligence never file suit. In a Harvard University study, only eight of 280 patients actually filed claims. The second reason is cost, which discourages lawyers from taking smaller cases because the lawyers would bear the initial burden of having the case heard in court, and that could amount to between $100,000 and $200,000. “The doctors’ lobby has convinced legislatures to cut our fees,” said attorney Zelikovic. “So it’s a heavy up-front load.” All of which means a bigger payday at the courthouse is needed to make the effort worthwhile. Dr. Belk’s study shows that while settlements in smaller cases are way down, the number of cases in which the payouts are $500,000 or more have remained relatively stable. Apparently, it’s all about the payout, not the apology. Many lawyers don’t really want doctors to apologize. As the website sorryworks.net said: “Personal injury attorneys often say they want no mention of ‘sorry’ in the courtroom.”