Question

"A number of industry groups actively encourage acknowledging medical errors, especially those that are apparent to the patient-family amd those that do not result in harm. The National Quality Forum supports disclosure of this information as a practice that promotes safe care. In 2001, the Joint Commission issued a nationwide disclosure statement requiring that patients be made aware of all outcomes of care. A number of major hospitals and health systems support acknowledging errors, providing an apology, explaining how the error could have happened, and communicating the action that will be taken to prevent a recurrence in the future."

Do you think the healthcare idustry does a good job with disclosing errors? Why? What are some legal and ethical issues related to disclosing (or not disclosing) medical errors?

Answer 1

Yes in my opinion the healthcare industry does a very good job by the disclosing medical errors as once they are disclosed they are the subject to learn for the future with more and more caution to overcome the same chances of the medical errors. There may be some training sessions to avoid these errors and other supportive measurements can be taken in such situation with some specified precautions in the future. Hence it’s good to disclose for the safe future in other cases.

In general practice the physicians are highly afraid to disclose these errors, but as per medical ethics these should be disclosed. And in this case there should be proper apology should be offered to the patient from the side of physician regarding the medical errors. Further to hide such medical errors is totally unethical. In my opinion non-disclosure of the medical errors is a case of violation of medical ethics and it’s not justified.