Ep. 479 World of Hurt: A New Film About Medical Malpractice with Viknesh Kasthuri

In a society where discussions about medical malpractice are often concealed from the public eye, this episode of BackTable shines a spotlight on the powerful documentary ‘A World of Hurt: How Medical Malpractice Fails Everyone,’ produced by Viknesh Kasthuri, a fourth-year medical student at Brown University. Released earlier this year, the film explores how the American medical malpractice system harms and disconnects patients and providers through three compelling case studies.

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SYNPOSIS

We delve into Viknesh’s motivations and the process behind creating the documentary, discussing the need for improved provider education on lawsuits, effective communication with patients and legal teams, and strategies for coping mentally and emotionally throughout this intensive process.

Additionally, Viknesh provides a behind-the-scenes look at documentary production, including filming during the COVID pandemic, creating environments for patients and providers to share their stories, and submitting the documentary to film festivals.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction

02:40 - Inspiration Behind the Documentary

06:10 - Technical and Legal Aspects of Documentary Production

14:34 - Releasing the Documentary

17:04 - Physician and Patient Responses to Medical Errors

20:27 - Highlighting Communication Resolution Programs

23:04 - Educational Gaps in Medical Training

26:43 - Exploring Systemic Solutions to Management of Medical Errors

30:16 - Final Thoughts and Future Projects

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RESOURCES

A World of Hurt Documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09IVcL6pACU

BackTable VI Ep. 77- Doctors and Litigation: The L Word, with Dr. Gita Pensa:

https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/177/doctors-litigation-the-l-word

The L Word Podcast with Dr. Gita Pensa:

https://doctorsandlitigation.com/podcast-2

BackTable ENT Ep. 90- Coaching Physicians Through the Stress of Malpractice Litigation, with Dr. Gita Pensa:

https://www.backtable.com/shows/ent/podcasts/90/coaching-physicians-through-the-stress-of-malpractice-litigation

Michigan Model Communication and Resolution Program:

https://www.uofmhealth.org/michigan-model-medical-malpractice-and-patient-safety-umhs