Project for this Fall: Teaching Your Docs, Nurses How to Say "Sorry"

Kids are headed back to school, the air (in some parts of the country) is starting to feel a little crisp, and football is once again on TV. The lazy days of summer are in the rear-view mirror, fall is around the corner, and time to get re-focused on priorities. Make teaching disclosure to your staff at the top of your list. Seriously, if you don't take time to teach your staff how to stay connected with patients/families during post-event discussions they will continue to stumble and too often get your organization sued. You can spend a truckload of cash on lawsuits, lawyers, and payouts on the back end, or a relatively small price on the front-end training your staff how to say "sorry." Unfortunately, most physicians and nurses were never taught how to communicate following adverse medical events. We are reminded of this reality in this recent news article. Dr. Tom Gallagher is quoted as saying he and other physicians were never taught post-event communication techniques in medical school.  Most docs and nurses can relate.

This will only change if we make teaching disclosure a priority. Yes, I know budgets are tight, and time is limited, but we know you are going to spend X amount of bucks and Y amount of time annually dealing with complaints and litigation...it's just a given.   Every organization that has implemented disclosure has seen litigation cost figures significantly reduced while patient safety parameters have increased -- but they had to train their people. They had to make that upfront investment.

Many organizations have used The Little Book of Empathyto teach their docs, nurses, and other staff how to stay connected post-event. The Little Book of Empathy costs between $4 to $9.99 per copy depending on volume, it's customizable, and it's a quick read (30 minutes or less) for even busiest doc or nurse.  And several organizations have also purchased the Sorry Works! Tool Kitwhich has everything you need to start and sustain a successful disclosure program.   The Tool Kit is great for c-suite, risk, claims, legal, and medical leadership.  To order the Little Book of Empathy or Sorry Works! Tool Kit, simply click on this link.

Sorry Works! is also available for CME-accredited Grand Rounds presentations to your physicians, nurses, and staff. For more information, call 618-559-8168 or doug@sorryworks.net.   To see a sample list of organizations that have scheduled Sorry Works! presentations in the past, click on this link.

Sorry Works! can help you make disclosure a priority this fall --- just call 618-559-8168 or e-mail doug@sorryworks.net.