Healthline

ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF DOCTORS, just like their patients, have suffered from a medical mistake that happened to them or a member of their family. The doctors, however, differed markedly with the public over the best way to prevent such errors.

Thirty-five to 42 percent of physicians and the public say they or a family member have experienced a medical error, according to a survey by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Neither group sees medical mistakes as a top problem: The concern expressed most often is over rising health care and insurance costs.

Yet when asked how to prevent such medical mistakes, the public agreed with nine of 16 proposals ranging from publicity about physician errors to reducing the hours of physicians in training. The doctors agreed with only two: Requiring hospitals to develop better systems and increasing the number of hospital nurses.

Both groups blamed mistakes on overwork, stress and fatigue of doctors and other medical personnel.

JUST A REMINDER that the search for quality nursing care for oneself or one's loved ones is easier since improvements to a government Web site.

At the nursing home section of the Medicare Web site at www.medicare.gov/Nursing/Overview.asp, visitors can click on Nursing Home Compare to get information on 17,000 nursing homes across the country. Data includes number of beds, type of ownership, breakdown of residents by disease, numbers of nurses, inspection reports and more.

The Medicare and Medicaid site also has a checklist of what to look for in a facility.

And since the site is government-sponsored, there's nary a sales pitch.

EVEN PEOPLE IN FLORIDA can run short on vitamin D, the nutrient produced in the body through sun exposure. The nutrient is found in eggs, seafood, mushrooms and some fortified milk and cereal, but it's difficult to get enough from food alone -- and supplements are often necessary.

Vitamin D deficiencies contribute to the weakening of bones and an increased risk of bone fracture. People who are over age 65, dark-skinned or overweight are at risk of deficiency.

The appropriate dose? From 400 international units (for people who get some sun) to 1,000 IUs, daily. Avoid taking too much because of the possibility of kidney damage. But you can't get too much vitamin D from the sun because the body regulates how much it makes on its own.

-- Staff writer Susan Aschoff and wire reports

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