has written many posts about the health industry. In a post titled Code 99 Courts Hollywood, Taylor wrote how she and a physician, Dr. Jason Kane, collaborated to write a script about patient safety and "a fearful emerging trend of 'criminalizing a doctor’s errors.'"
Last week, many talented actors brought these issues to life during a reading of Taylor's screenplay, Code 99, at the upstairs theatre at St. Nick's Pub in West Los Angeles.
In the script, doctors of a fictional Chicago hospital face ethical dilemmas while treating their patients. Among the plot lines, a doctor fails to tell a nurse the correct dosage of medication for an infant, but, since the baby stabilizes, the doctor struggles with whether or not to tell the parents. Meanwhile, another doctor is arrested after her patient, a pregnant woman, dies during an emergency cesarean section.
The screenplay asks the audience to question the decisions made by medical professionals on a daily basis. Does the doctor always know best? A doctor is human, won't he or she make mistakes? How do you make the best decision when lives are on the line? And that's exactly what Taylor had in mind. She said she wants the film not only to entertain, but to raise awareness and prompt change.
"Dr. Kane and I created this storyline where the issues of patient safety in the medical arena are explored with complexly layered characters in ethically challenging situations in hopes that viewers will connect with the characters and storyline and become more aware of the intricacy of the medical system," said Taylor.
And after working on the script for about two years, Taylor said it was amazing to hear her characters come to life.
"To see and hear the symphony of talented actors sinking their teeth into the complex roles, exposing their raw humanity, revealing their emotions and overcoming the medical terminology with professionalism and grace was overwhelming," Taylor told Pali Patch. "It was an evening of art, craft, passion and commitment from the entire cast."
Taylor also says she hopes the film will lead to more discussion on the issues of patient safety and will help people become more proactive when it comes to their medical care.
- For Taylor's post about Code 99, click here.
Perhaps we can exchange emails through Matthew, the editor?