It is no mystery that doctors work long hours--really long hours. Yet, what can happen when doctors and surgeons work too long and put in too many hours? What's more, who is to say how long is too long? A November article in the New York Times surveyed just this problem. The writer, a well-established doctor, relives her life as an intern and making it into residency. She tells of first year mistakes to more grave problems, like judgment errors that cost her colleagues their jobs and her patients their lives.

The article points out a vital problem in hospitals: In striving to be the best, doctors and hospitals alike can often overlook simple safety issues, such as mandating working hours, allotting for drastic and life-threatening mistakes. Using an independent review organization can help monitor the hours your doctors put in, ensuring that your hospital maintains high patient safety retention. 

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/health/chen11-06.html?_r=2&oref=slogin