Changes in the practice of medicine are driving changes in the practice of law. To reduce accidental harm, laws and policies have been enacted to improve the reporting of errors and adverse outcomes. To improve the overall quality of medical care, laws have been enacted to provide patients better access to information about their health, including records of adverse outcomes.
Many academic medical centers and other hospitals now routinely inform patients and their representatives about adverse and potentially adverse events as soon as they arise. In appropriate cases, patients are offered remedial services, such as a second surgery, free of charge, and are reimbursed for related expenses without having to sign a waiver. In addition, some hospitals now encourage patients who are considering suit to mediate pre-litigation and have developed a structure to support this approach.
This two-part roundtable discussion series covered both reforms that have been fully implemented and assessed and pilot studies that are currently under way.
Part II began with an open disclosure program at the University of Michigan Health System which has received national attention and become a model for programs at many other institutions. Next, it detailed an effort just underway to resolve disputed malpractice claims through collaborative law.
Learn more about Part I.
Note: CLE credits are not available for this call.