#1 The Worst Time to Have Surgery

The Worst Time to Have Surgery

Catching a good timing is very important, for anything you would do. For health especially, no one would dare to risk their lives to be cared for at a dangerous timing. James Hamblin published an article "The Worst Time to Have Surgery" insisting people to avoid appointing surgeries in July. In the American system, July 1st is everyone's first day. Hospitals in the month of every July is filled with new rookie doctors because that's the month that the year's graduating medical students begin working as residents. Researches have shown that typically the month of July had a high rate of complications and also a high mortality rate. Hamblin also claimed that timing might even influence whether you have a surgery. He supported his claim by refering to the economist H. Shelton Brown III who defined a “rush hour effect,” whereby women in labor were more likely to have an unplanned C‑section on Friday between 3 and 9 p.m. He suggested that perhaps doctors liked to get their work done before the weekends. Not only do the weekends rush up the doctors, but on holidays as well. Patients admitted on public holidays are 48 percent likely to be dead one week later than patients that are admitted on non-holidays.Hamblin concluded his article by suggesting that it would be best to go early to bed, get the best colonoscopies and surgeries, and stay safely in your home on public holidays.

Hamblin said that July had the highest mortality and complications rate, and defined that this month would be the worst month to have surgeries. He also insisted that holidays and weekends would not be a good time either. Hamblin was able to back up his claim by proposing several research results. Rather than expressing his own personal opinions, he stuck to providing evidence and proof to make his claim seem agreeable to the readers. I think he was successful at making his argument clear because he had a well-founded basis, and that he was able to support his reasons thoroughly. 

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/07/the-worst-time-to-have-surgery/309393/#comments