Comments on: The Hardest Word http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/11/25/the-hardest-word/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-hardest-word Insights into the uncertain world of healthcare Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:02:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: David Harlow http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/11/25/the-hardest-word/comment-page-1/#comment-624 David Harlow Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:28:04 +0000 http://www.seefirstblog.com/?p=1652#comment-624 The benefits of apologies are many. IHI has published on the reduction of medical errors in a provider organization whose culture includes the medical apology. Harvard and U of Michigan affiliates have found dramatic reduction in malpractice liabilities as a result of medical apologies policies. The psychic benefit to clinician and patient are beyond value. As part of my health care law and consulting practice, I provide training to boards and practitioners on the value of medical apologies and the implementation and tracking of appropriate policies and procedures. As they say, "Sorry Works." The benefits of apologies are many. IHI has published on the reduction of medical errors in a provider organization whose culture includes the medical apology. Harvard and U of Michigan affiliates have found dramatic reduction in malpractice liabilities as a result of medical apologies policies. The psychic benefit to clinician and patient are beyond value. As part of my health care law and consulting practice, I provide training to boards and practitioners on the value of medical apologies and the implementation and tracking of appropriate policies and procedures. As they say, “Sorry Works.”

]]> By: David Harlow http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/11/25/the-hardest-word/comment-page-1/#comment-547 David Harlow Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:28:04 +0000 http://www.seefirstblog.com/?p=1652#comment-547 The benefits of apologies are many. IHI has published on the reduction of medical errors in a provider organization whose culture includes the medical apology. Harvard and U of Michigan affiliates have found dramatic reduction in malpractice liabilities as a result of medical apologies policies. The psychic benefit to clinician and patient are beyond value. As part of my health care law and consulting practice, I provide training to boards and practitioners on the value of medical apologies and the implementation and tracking of appropriate policies and procedures. As they say, "Sorry Works." The benefits of apologies are many. IHI has published on the reduction of medical errors in a provider organization whose culture includes the medical apology. Harvard and U of Michigan affiliates have found dramatic reduction in malpractice liabilities as a result of medical apologies policies. The psychic benefit to clinician and patient are beyond value. As part of my health care law and consulting practice, I provide training to boards and practitioners on the value of medical apologies and the implementation and tracking of appropriate policies and procedures. As they say, “Sorry Works.”

]]> By: MKirschMD http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/11/25/the-hardest-word/comment-page-1/#comment-529 MKirschMD Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:44:19 +0000 http://www.seefirstblog.com/?p=1652#comment-529 When a physician errs, he has a moral obligation to disclose the error to the patient. I have done this in every instance where one of my patients has suffered a complication. In our profession, unlike most others, there is a conflict between our moral imperative and our legal interest. If a chef omits a key ingredient in a recipe, and the dessert is ruined, he apologizes to the customer without fear that the will be sued for culinary malpractice. Not so, for physicians.<br><br>Legal immunity for physician apologies offers very little protection. If the physician admits error or malpractice, then there is no immunity for this statement. The doctor can safely say that he is sorry that a complication occurred, but he can’t that he is sorry that he caused it. Thus, if the physician wants to remain under the immunity umbrella, his conversation with the patient will be quite brief. When the patient asks, “how did this happen”, the physician may need to choose between telling the truth or repeating the bland, but protected apology. Patients want the truth and they deserve it. The medical liability system encourages many physicians to make the wrong choice. For this, I am truly sorry. <a href="http://www.MDWhistleblower.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">www.MDWhistleblower.blogspot.com</a> When a physician errs, he has a moral obligation to disclose the error to the patient. I have done this in every instance where one of my patients has suffered a complication. In our profession, unlike most others, there is a conflict between our moral imperative and our legal interest. If a chef omits a key ingredient in a recipe, and the dessert is ruined, he apologizes to the customer without fear that the will be sued for culinary malpractice. Not so, for physicians.

Legal immunity for physician apologies offers very little protection. If the physician admits error or malpractice, then there is no immunity for this statement. The doctor can safely say that he is sorry that a complication occurred, but he can’t that he is sorry that he caused it. Thus, if the physician wants to remain under the immunity umbrella, his conversation with the patient will be quite brief. When the patient asks, “how did this happen”, the physician may need to choose between telling the truth or repeating the bland, but protected apology. Patients want the truth and they deserve it. The medical liability system encourages many physicians to make the wrong choice. For this, I am truly sorry. http://www.MDWhistleblower.blogspot.com

]]> By: DrV http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/11/25/the-hardest-word/comment-page-1/#comment-528 DrV Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:42:13 +0000 http://www.seefirstblog.com/?p=1652#comment-528 Excellent post. I'm convinced that the benefits of apology outweigh potential risks despite the recommendations of our defense attys. Excellent post. I'm convinced that the benefits of apology outweigh potential risks despite the recommendations of our defense attys.

]]> By: Twitted by bigguyd http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/11/25/the-hardest-word/comment-page-1/#comment-526 Twitted by bigguyd Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:32:55 +0000 http://www.seefirstblog.com/?p=1652#comment-526 [...] This post was Twitted by bigguyd [...] [...] This post was Twitted by bigguyd [...]

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