How to Tell Patients When Medical Errors Occur

Errors are inherent in medicine due to the imperfectness of human
nature. Healthcare providers may have a difficult time accepting
their fallibility, acknowledging mistakes, and disclosing errors.
Fear of litigation, shame, blame and concern about reputation are
just some of the barriers preventing doctors from being more candid
with their patients, despite the supporting body of evidence that
patients cite poor communication and lack of transparency as primary
drivers to file a lawsuit in the wake of a medical complication. Proper
error disclosure includes a timely explanation of what happened,
who was involved, why the error occurred and how it will be
prevented in the future. Medical mistakes afford the opportunity for
individuals and institutions to be candid about their weaknesses
while improving patient care processes.

Modern Medicine – October 2017