Ep. 80 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. --- 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. --- 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 --- 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