Frustrated by the barriers of the U.S. healthcare system, Steve Burrows reveals the horrors of bleeding out in his film Bleed Out. After waking up in a hospital bed, suffering from brain damage, Judith Burrows can not even realize her life will never be the same as it was before. “One out of four patients in the US is harmed by medical error” (Bleed Out). For an hour and twenty-eight minutes, Bleed Out showed the journey of Steve Burrow’s mom, Judith. She went in for a hip replacement and ultimately suffered permanent brain damage after the doctors failed to provide adequate care. The film follows the family as they navigate through what went wrong, whom to hold accountable, and how they can provide the best care for Judith in a system created to work against them. Wherever the family thought they had a hold on their new life, they were steered awry by the hospital, the insurance company, lawyers, and even each other.
Steve Burrows, a comedian by trade, illustrates his mom’s perfect storm of her healthcare experience. His background as a comedy director gives the film its uniqueness. Burrows incorporated satire and quips within such a depressing and infuriating story to draw attention to the discrepancies faced.
The award-winning 2018 drama documentary film shows how advocacy regarding the flaws in our healthcare system is incredibly important. Dealing with frustrations is not just the story of Judith; medical error is the third leading cause of death in the United States (Bleed Out). Patients across the country receive subpar care from the moment they enter a hospital, up until after their lives. It is vital for medical professionals to become more informed about systemic barriers.
"Although the film tears apart the flaws within our healthcare system, anyone pursuing a career within healthcare needs to use the story of Bleed Out as motivation to pursue further education encompassing the workings of our healthcare system in the United States."
The family in the film decided to file a malpractice lawsuit after the medical errors started racking up. It seemed to be a strong case. There was a complication with her original surgery, the doctor proceeded with a second surgery even after knowing about the significant risk of excess bleeding due to the medication prescribed, and no one was consistently monitoring her bedside.
Burrows disclosed to NPR that "she lost over half the blood in her body” (Garcia-Navarro). However, finding a malpractice attorney to take the case was the first barrier. Because medical licenses are rewarded by the state, there is a diversity of public policy surrounding healthcare regulations. The documentary is based in Wisconsin, where there is “an iron curtain of laws that have been quietly passed in Wisconsin that makes it nearly impossible to hold doctors and hospitals accountable for their mistakes” (Bleed Out). Additionally, attorney Mike End describes how rare of a breed malpractice attorneys are as a result of the turnover rate after frequently losing cases.
“an iron curtain of laws that have been quietly passed in Wisconsin that makes it nearly impossible to hold doctors and hospitals accountable for their mistakes”
Another featured barrier to receiving amends within the U.S. healthcare system is the legislation at play. Dr. Makary argues that our legislation is not focusing on fixing the broken healthcare system, but on how to finance our expensive and broken healthcare system. In reality, he states, “We need to stop talking about how to finance healthcare differently and start talking about the root of the problem” (Bleed Out). In this case, the root of the problem lies in the legislation preventing patients’ right to redress, making it impossible to hold doctors accountable for medical malpractice
When on the phone with the insurance company, Burrows explained his frustration, saying how "it was a pre-approval approval, then a denial, then an approval, then a denial, then an approval, then a denial, then [the hospital] paid it, but now they want their money back from you guys, and that's why you [the insurance company] want your money back from us." The audience is immersed not only in the confusion, but the exorbitant medical expenses the family faces.
The most expensive overnight stay in the United States is a hospital bed, with the average stay being “just over $10,700" (Micheals). The cost of healthcare steers people away from treatment. "Nearly half of Americans say they have delayed or skipped medical care because of the cost" (Cutler). Burrows experiences the vexation of paying thousands of dollars for subpar care and medical errors, and he shares this pain with the audience.
Burrows takes the viewers along in his journey of breaking down the barriers: “It’s a brutal and frustrating watch. That’s the point” (Whittemore). As a student studying nursing with a minor in political science, listening to the documentary degrading the field I’m spending hours studying for is sometimes frustrating, but that is the point. Although the film tears apart the flaws within our healthcare system, anyone pursuing a career within healthcare needs to use the story of Bleed Out as motivation to pursue further education encompassing the workings of our healthcare system in the United States. It is with this knowledge we enter the healthcare workforce, so we can better advocate for our patients, provide exceptional care, and suture our healthcare system back together.
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"It is vital for medical professionals to become more informed about systemic barriers."
