It is patently unfair to take a one sided approach to this doctor's mother's death.  If he is going to be publically open about his version of events then more details are necessary.  Surely errors and omissions are made but their role in the outcome of sick people may or may not be harmed by them.  Dr. Welch's choice to ask for intervention with his own example is asking too much.  His solutions even, such as an EMR record in the possession of the patient or his or her family, is no substitute for careful attention to immediate problems, proper medical inquiry to know the patient, and a decent relationship with trusted physicians.  None of this is outlined in the interview and speaking up without context is unsettling.  If there were grievous harmful errors he should have sued and then fought for proper reforms.  

Unfortunately this article shows the interface between mass media and the health care system.  Too often in the media a story is reported with insufficient regard to the level of factual information or overall contextual factors needed to provide an intelligent story.  It is impossible to really understand this doctor's story from this article.  The editorial decision to publish it in this form falls on the heads of the Globe editors, but they are not alone, by any stretch.  Television is a prime culprit in this level of reporting.   

I heard Dr. Welch on NPR interviewed by Robin Young.  It was an intelligent and sensitive discussion that lasted about 15 minutes.  After reading the Globe article and the other two comments, I went back to the WBUR/here-and-now website and was impressed with their approach to the story and their links to more detailed information (http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/01/28/medical-error-doctor).