Saying "I'm Sorry" Will Decrease Medical Malpractice Premiums and Increase the Quality of Care

Implications: For years, doctors have been taught to deny medical errors and defend themselves to the end.  Such denial is contrary to the honesty doctors and patients desire in a patient-physician relationship.  However, the risk of medical malpractice has led physicians to pursue this practice.  With medical malpractice insurance premiums escalating at an alarming rate, physicians at prominent institutions like Johns Hopkins and Stanford are trying a new, "disarming" approach:  promptly disclosing errors, then offering an earnest apology and fair compensation for such errors.  The hope is to restore integrity in the patient-physician relationship, learn from such mistakes, and decrease the likelihood of other healthcare professionals making the same mistake in the future. 

Analysis: Most of the time, patients become plaintiffs when they believe information has been withheld or concealed.  Therefore, it is no surprise that hospitals are reporting decreases in malpractice suits and premiums with the implementation of a policy that encourages healthcare professionals to disclose and apologize for medical errors.  The net result of such a policy is improved patient safety, overall cost savings, and happier patients.  Now, the challenge is to get doctors to believe that if they are open and honest that they will not be sued by their patients.  JCAHO, AMA, and AHA have all encouraged such disclosure.  Their support is not surprising since research has shown that improvements in institutional policies result when such disclosures are shared with colleagues.  It may take a generation to have generalized acceptance of this philosophical shift.  However, the apparent decrease in medical malpractice judgments and premiums may help expedite the acceptance rate of this new paradigm.