Over Half Of ICU Families Hesitate To Raise Safety Concerns

Imagine you're in the intensive care unit at the bedside of your loved one, and you think there might have been a mistake in the care they're getting. Do you speak up? Even if you're afraid that might alienate the medical team?

A new study out of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center surveyed more than 1,100 family members in the ICU about whether they'd feel comfortable telling doctors when they have unease about their loved ones' care.

And the big takeaway? Among patients and families currently experiencing a stay in the ICU, over 50 percent said they were hesitant to speak up about common concerns, including whether mistakes in care were being made.

Carey Goldberg, host of WBUR's CommonHealth blog, which tweets @commonhealth.