New Report on Disclosure & Apology
May 20, 2011Doug Wojcieszak, Founder & Spokesperson Contact phone/e-mail address: 618-559-8168; doug@sorryworks.net
NEW REPORT ON DISCLOSURE & APOLOGY At Sorry Works!, we always work to keep you up to speed on the latest developments, ideas, and issues in disclosure. Lockton, a large insurance broker, just issued a report on the financial and patient safety implications of disclosure. See news article below. Visit Lockton's website for the free report at www.lockton.com.
Nothing Earth-shattering in the report...in fact, it's a summary of the studies released from the University of Michigan, Minneapolis Childrens' Hospitals, and the VA, while giving mention to the widely discredited Studdert study. The report gives a nice mention to Sorry Works! and says there is a cultural change under way in medicine due to disclosure.
It's always nice to get positive press, and, more importantly, good to see insurance organizations continuing to study and examine disclosure. When attempting to change culture continual exposure is a good thing.
I know a lot of people - especially docs - want peer- reviewed studies to prove the efficacy of disclosure before they will believe. Kinda like the disciple Thomas, aka Doubting Thomas. Show me and I'll believe. Well, we all look forward to seeing/reading about the evidence generated from the AHRQ grant programs on disclosure & apology as well as other pilot studies. But, you know what, the best "studies" we have are the hospital and insurance company risk managers, claims managers, actuaries, etc who are already trying disclosure - sans the studies - and getting results similar to Michigan. Lower lawsuits and associated expenses for hospitals and insurers - including insurers covering independent docs - as well as improved patient safety and increased satisfaction and retention among doctors and front- line staff. These are the real-world studies where people are playing with real money and lives -- not computer models or surveys, but real stuff - and succeeding.
Here's another "study" in the form of a question I often receive: "Has a disclosure program never worked or been discontinued?" Not to my knowledge.
I can't tell you how many times I been to a conference or meeting and had a risk manager say, "We're doing Sorry Works...and it's working!" This is part of the reason we've built Sorry Works!....to share this information and encourage others to share information. The more people learn about disclosure and see their peers doing it successfully, the quicker the culture change mentioned in the Lockton report will occur.
For more information on Sorry Works! presentations and training seminars, call 618-559-8168 or e-mail doug@sorryworks.net.
Sincerely,
- Doug
Doug Wojcieszak, Founder Sorry Works! PO Box 531 Glen Carbon, IL 62034 618-559-8168 (direct dial)
This story is taken from Sacbee / PR Newswire
Lockton Report Examines the Pros and Cons of Disclosing Medical Errors Full disclosure may be "the right thing to do," but at what cost to health care organizations? Published Thursday, May. 12, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 12, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from Lockton, the world's largest privately owned insurance broker, examines whether the practice of disclosing medical errors when they occur increases or decreases liability costs for health care organizations.
In "Disclosure of Medical Errors: The Right Thing to Do, But What is the Cost?," Nancy Lamo, RN, BSN, JD, Clinical Risk Consultant for Lockton, found considerable data that supports the idea that disclosure helps mitigate medical malpractice suits, increases patient safety, and ensures other long-term financial benefits.
The Lockton report describes the 2009 analysis of the University of Michigan Health System's medical disclosure approach (by Richard Boothman, et. al.) which provides evidence that disclosure makes financial sense for health care organizations:
?Fewer lawsuits: 38.7 fewer lawsuits after program implementation ?Faster resolution: Claim resolution was 1.36 years before program implementation, and 0.95 after ?Lower costs: Average cost per lawsuit decreased from $405,921 to $228,308
The Lockton report also offers dissenting views from David M. Studdert, currently Federation Fellow at the Centre for Health Policy, Programs & Economics at the Melbourne School of Population Health.
"Advocates for transparency are adamant that the reason for disclosure of medical errors is not cost savings, but the larger goal of patient safety," said Lamo. "Whether additional research will eventually confirm or repudiate Studdert's research remains to be seen. We do know disclosure of medical errors has been increasingly accepted and expected by caregivers, patients, and others interested in patient safety."
The report -- Disclosure of Medical Errors: The Right Thing to Do, But What is the Cost? -- is available free at Lockton.com.
About Lockton More than 3,800 professionals at Lockton provide more than 15,000 clients around the world with insurance, benefits, and risk management services, offering an uncommon level of client service. From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, Lockton has grown to become the largest privately held insurance broker in the world and 9th largest overall. Business Insurance recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." You can learn more at www.lockton.com.