Alumna’s HBO documentary shines light on medical errors
LOS ANGELES, Cali.—In the aftermath of a harrowing family medical crisis, Margo (Towe) Burrows, an alumna of Western Michigan University's School of Communication, unexpectedly found herself on a new career trajectory. When her mother-in-law fell into a coma following what was supposed to be a routine partial hip replacement surgery, Burrows embarked on a fervent ten-year-long quest to uncover critical medical errors in pursuit of justice.
This journey led to the creation of “BLEED OUT,” an award-winning, critically acclaimed HBO documentary chronicling Steve Burrows' mother, Judie, within a healthcare system that, in their eyes, “didn’t care.” The Burrows dedicated themselves to seeking accountability, transparency and justice for Judie. Along the way, the couple discovered that medical error stands as a leading cause of death in America, motivating them to persist even when disheartened. Margo Burrows served as the producer of this documentary.
“For almost anyone who sees this film, it touches on different parts for different people, but there’s a common theme of family dynamics and the devastation of a family after medical crises,” says Burrows. “It’s really the knowledge that by bringing to light the damage that was done to us and to my mother-in-law, we can help others. That’s been huge for both of us.”
Initially a video diary, the film develops into an exploration of the state of healthcare in America. Over the course of a decade, the film employs various footage sources such as archives, real-life scenarios, hidden cameras, legal proceedings and interviews involving professionals and family members.
Since its release in 2018, the documentary has received rave reviews regarding its topic and execution. It was declared the winner of Best Feature Documentary and Best Medical and Health Reporting awards at the Los Angeles Press Club and was the New York Times’ critic’s pick. It has an 81% on IMDB and earned an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“We've had overwhelmingly positive responses,” says Burrows. “It’s been so life affirming.”
The film and its crew recently had the opportunity to share the stage with former President Bill Clinton at the Patient Safety Movement Foundations 10th Anniversary Summit in California. Soon after, they were invited to screen “BLEED OUT” for the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland next year. A White House screening of the film is also in the works.
“It’s a little nerve wracking, but it's exciting,” says Burrows. “I mean, our time working on the film is gonna make an impact worldwide. That's pretty huge.”
Burrows’ goal with the film was to emphasize to the medical field the importance of their responsibility for their patients. One aspect of the response to the film that surprised Burrows was the response from the medical field itself.
“It's almost uniform that whenever medical professionals see the film, they get outraged,” says Burrows. “And then they apologize for what the medical profession has done. Doctors have told us that this will forever change the way that they view their patients and that just means so much to us. Dr. David Mayer of the MedStar Institute of Quality and Safety declared, 'This film is literally saving lives.' How many films get to do that?"
This isn’t the end of Burrows’ producing career. Now that her eyes are open to the issue at hand, she intends to continue speaking out on the issue with her husband in the form of media.
“We’re hoping to develop a television series sharing similar stories,” says Burrows. “We're trying to show the good and the bad, you know, the whole spectrum of things. Because we are all patients. We're all gonna go through the healthcare system one way or another.”
The Burrowses are also working on a movie that explores some of the same issues from a very different viewpoint. They are also hoping to produce a script Steve recently completed—a comedy that is just plain fun.
For Burrows and her husband, the “BLEED OUT” project meant the world. Seeing it succeed and feeling it inspire both herself and others has been unlike anything she has experienced before.
“Steve and I don't have any children, so it's like these projects are kind of our babies, right?” says Burrows. “Knowing that there are things out there that are part of us makes us feel alive.”
"BLEED OUT" is available to stream on HBO Max.
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