A study released at this time last year by researchers at Johns Hopkins University raised some very real concerns about patient safety. To recap, the study, published in The BMJ, found that over 250,000 deaths per year can be attributed to medical errors, making it the third-highest cause of death in the U.S. While there has since been some debate as to whether this is indeed the case, there is no denying that medical errors are a very real concern that must be taken seriously by both physicians and patients alike. Indeed, questions naturally arise as to what patients can do to protect themselves. The good news is that there are some relatively simple steps patients can take in almost any scenario to help prevent falling victim to medical errors. By way of example, consider the always nerve-wracking reality of a patient learning they will need to undergo a surgical procedure.…