i took a health communications course sometime last year and one of the things we talked about was medical malpractice and how to prevent it. yes, i know leaving a towel in someone during surgery cannot be prevented by the patient, in which case it IS the doctor’s fault. i forget what the number is, but there is a percentage of malpractice you CAN prevent, just by properly communicating with your doctor. this applies especially to MEN because they are less likely to seek medical attention than women (which is caused by several factors that i will not waste your time with). knowing what to tell your doctor starts with knowing what your symptoms are. this forces you to be in constant tune to the rest of your body (and mind), and when you are able to more correctly identify how you feel, you will be able to more precisely explain your symptoms, and your doctor can diagnose you correctly. most malpractice suits are caused by the patient neglecting their symptoms, not taking already prescribed medications, not taking the proper dose (either too much or too little), and not being pro-active about follow-up appointments.