Nashville Shooting, Tragic Grief, and Med-Mal

Sadly, the Nashville shooting is already starting to fade from the headlines.  Before our focus on this tragedy is completely lost, think about the questions that were asked in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy: "Who, Why, How, and How can this be prevented in the future?"   Families suddenly thrust into what I call "Tragic Grief" desperately need these questions answered in order to have any chance to move through the grief process and try to find some kind of new, healthy normal.  Thankfully, local law enforcement and government officials are moving quickly to provide answers to the families and the larger community.  However, could you imagine if the police or the local mayor stonewalled the families?  Unfortunately, this notion of cover up should not be hard to imagine for healthcare, insurance, and legal professionals.

Whether kissing your child good bye as he or she boards a school bus, or giving a hug and kiss to a family member prior to surgery, the normal, reasonable expectation is the child and/or family member will come back to you. And, thankfully, 99.99 percent of the time this happens, until it doesn't.  In our field it's called an adverse medical event, medical error, or medical malpractice.  The surgery or the treatment that goes great 99.99 percent of the time takes a tragic turn with life-changing or life-ending consequences, and a family is thrust into "Tragic Grief."    Thunderstruck families in your care are going to ask the same questions as the Nashville families: "Who, Why, How, and How can this be prevented in the future?"  You have an ethical obligation to answer these questions truthfully.  Sans the answers, the hurt for the families -- both emotionally and physically --- will be compounded. 

Don't hurt families further by withholding information post-event.  Develop a disclosure and apology program and approach every adverse event in the same manner as Nashville law enforcement is doing right now for the school shooting victims.

Give your kids and those you love an extra hug this weekend.

Sincerely,

- Doug

Doug Wojcieszak, MA, MS
Founder & President
Sorry Works!
618-559-8168
doug@sorryworks.net