BOAC, I know very well the problem you are addressing. The statistics on maltreatment are frightening -- and a lot goes unreported. There is no doubt that health care, not to say patients, would benefit tremendously by implementing CRM principles. But health care is lagging behind, a physician today has the authority of a captain 40 years ago, or worse. The cultural and organizational challenges are huge.
That said, most people in health care are very capable, professional, and caring; it's the routines and the culutural attidtude that are lacking. And you cannot transfere the standradization from aviation directly, most health care problems are more fuzzy than the problems a pilot would encounter during a normal day. However, there is no doubt that the introduction of mandatory checklists would be a tremendous improvement in many situations. I have mentioned the CRM method in aviation to many physicians; most have never heard of it. There is a long way to go.