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THIS WEEK'S EDITION:
- Question and Answer
- Sorry Works! speaking to CNA-insured hospitals in North Carolina this week
- Save the date: May 9th - Next Sorry Works! audio conference
- Interested in disclosure training? We can help!
- Northwestern University Hospitals Patient Safety Safety Kick-Off Conference
QUESTION AND ANSWER
Question: We have a physician who says there is research that disclosure can only work in a VA or self-insured hospital. The physician says disclosure cannot work with physicians who have independent insurance. True or False?
Doug: False. When people say disclosure won’t work because of insurance or the courts or lawyers, they really don’t get the point of disclosure and apology. Sorry Works! is not about courts, insurance companies, lawyers, or even doctors and hospitals…it’s all about patients and families. And patients and families – human beings – are pretty much the same everywhere. Patients and families, no matter where they get their care (VA, self-insured, community hospital, surgi-center, etc) enter healthcare facilities with the same hopes, fears, and expectations. And when adverse events happen, patients and families will react one of two ways: if they are treated right with good customer service that includes fixing problems, they will react one way. If, however, they perceive a cover-up, they will react another way. It's really that simple. The key is mitigating anger and keeping people communicating and working together.
Now, it require a little more work to implement Sorry Works! into a community hospital where physicians are independent contractors with their own insurance. It requires getting those outside insurers on board with the program, but this is not impossible. Many insurance companies are already closely studying disclosure and apology - they are learning it saves them money and claims.
Geri: I vote False, and I have a question. My question is "What do you mean by 'work?'" If you are saying that showing empathy, concern and being honest only helps restore trust, feeling cared about, and feeling like you are being treated with respect and integrity in VA hospitals or self-insured hospitals, then the answer is decidedly False. If you are saying that only in VA hospitals and self-insured hospitals do the hospital representatives have the ability to make financial compensation, then the answer is a guarded False.
It is true that physicians with commercial insurance need to work with their insurer if there is going to be an offer of financial compensation in order not to jeopardize their coverage. At the same time, an increasing number of insurers are beginning to recognize that early intervention reduces claim costs and are beginning to examine how to incorporate this approach into their claims management approach. We speak with those insurers who are struggling to understand how to use this approach fiscally responsibly using sound legal and claims processes.
Nothing changes overnight. Clearly the VA and self-insured hospitals are more nimble in their approach to claims management because they represent a closed system. It will take longer for the commercial insurers to buy into the concept because of their competing interests, their infrastructure, and the fact that they are more removed from their insureds. The corporate distance means they have less control over the individual insureds, so they to have a level of assurance that those disclosing are not assuming that any adverse event is a compensable claim. This shift will take time, training on the behalf of both the insurers and the insureds so that both parties understand the purpose and the approach, and the evolution of trust.
SORRY WORKS! SPEAKING TO CNA-INSURED HOSPITALS THIS WEEK
Sorry Works! spokesperson Doug Wojcieszak will be speaking to CNA- insured hospitals in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina this Friday. This speech kicks off a busy two months of speaking engagements for Wojcieszak which will take him all around the country speaking to hospitals, risk management groups, insurers, and physicians.
Are you interested in a Sorry Works! presentation? E-mail doug@sorryworks.net or call 618-559-8168.
SAVE THE DATE! MAY 9TH - NEXT SORRY WORKS! AUDIO CONFERENCE
The next Sorry Works! audio conference is scheduled for May 9th at 1pm EST. Last fall we had a great response to our first audio conference, and we are equally excited about this upcoming program. We will have two fantastic speakers: Dr. Aaron Lazare, Dean of the UMASS Medical School and author of "On Apology" and Dr. John Banja, author of "Medical Errors and Medical Narcissism." Aaron and John are both terrific speakers and will share their unique insights into apology and disclosure. Look for more information over the coming weeks, including registration information. But, please save the date!
INTERESTED IN DISCLOSURE TRAINING? WE CAN HELP!
Disclosure is a very hot topic today. Many health care and insurance organizations are beginning to understand the ecomomic and social benefits of disclosure for patients, patients' families, as well as their medical staff and insureds. The million dollar question is, "How can we implement disclosure into our organization?" We can help.
Last week we announced a strategic partnership with Stevens & Lee, one of America 's premier health care professional liability defense and risk management firms, to provide disclosure training and teaching materials for health care, insurance and legal professionals. We are excited about this partnership because it will help such professionals overcome one of the biggest stumbling blocks to implementing disclosure - concerns from legal, risk management and claims. Stevens & Lee's health care attorneys are experienced in defending doctors and hospitals and will work with Sorry Works! to help physicians and their staff get past the barriers they face and implement disclosure the right way.
Stevens & Lee's Health Care Litigation and Risk Management practice is led by James W. Saxton, Esquire. Jim and his team of experienced attorneys and risk management consultants understand how hospitals, doctors, patients, patients' families and plaintiffs' attorneys operate. They know that disclosure and apology done in the right way can greatly reduce litigation and associated expenses. They have the knowledge, experience and credibility to help institutions implement successful disclosure programs which can lead to professional liability risk reduction.
If you are interested in disclosure training, copy and paste this link - http://www.sorryworks.net/questionnaire.phtml - into your browser. The link will direct you to a few short questions, click submit, and information on disclosure training opportunities will be sent to you shortly. Thank you!
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS PATIENT SAFETY KICK-OFF CONFERENCE
On May 11th, 2007, the Northwestern Center for Patient Safety will be hosting a kick-off conference at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's third floor Mecklenburg Conference Room in the Feinberg Pavilion. From 9:00am-12:00noon, national and local speakers will give an in- depth analysis of the patient safety movement and its vital importance to healthcare. Renowned expert, Dr. Albert Wu, Professor of Health Policy and Management from John Hopkins, will be the keynote speaker. His keynote address, "Partnerships with Patients - A Prescription for Safety" will give audience members insight into his extensive knowledge on patient safety. He will also be presenting on the topic of disclosure of adverse events.
The Center is also excited to have Dr. Bill Rutherford, Professor, College of Aviation, Western Michigan University, illustrate the links between aviation safety and patient safety. Dr. Rutherford is a retired captain from United Airlines and a distinguished expert in simulation in healthcare.
Other speakers include faculty members from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Faculty will be presenting current research activities encompassing a variety of topics including: Labor and Delivery Team Training, Clinician to Clinician Communication in Pediatric Patient Safety, Development of a Shoulder Dystocia Protocol, Out-MATCH (Outpatient Medications at Transitions and Clinical Handoffs), and Transitions in Care, Collaboration, and Teamwork in Emergency Medicine.
Registration for the May 11th event is not required. It is open to the public, and appropriate for all physicians, clinicians, management, and staff who are interested in patient safety.
Additional details on the event can be found at this link.
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