In 2013, Sorry Works! Founder and President Doug Wojcieszak was helping coach his son’s baseball team when his cell phone rang. On the other end of the line was another father, Wade Westhoff, who had recently lost his two year old daughter, Morgan, to medical errors in a California hospital.  That was the first of many conversations between Doug, Wade, and Wade’s wife, Jennifer.  Together, they discussed what happened to Morgan, organized their thinking, and developed a timeline.  Eventually, Wade and Jennifer approached the doctors and hospital to share their thoughts, concerns, and what they needed for resolution.  Initially, the hospital was open and enthusiastic, but then they back tracked.  The Westhoffs pursued litigation and were successful. Today, Wade is a member of the Sorry Works! Board of Directors and he and his family support other patient safety activities.

We at Sorry Works! want to help other patients and families facing potential medical errors.  This is why we have developed this crisis hotline.  Nobody goes to the hospital, doctor’s office, or nursing home expecting to be harmed by medical errors, but it happens.  No doctor or nurse willingly hurts patients, but errors do occur. Some experts estimate medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States.  Moreover, when patients and families face the unexpected tragedy of a potential medical error they often have no idea what to do or say.  Do you talk to the doctor or hospital, or should you call a lawyer?  What about the state medical board, the media, or even social media?  It’s a confusing and challenging reality even for the strongest family.  We want to help…this is why we are offering this free crisis hotline. 

For over 15 years, Sorry Works! have taught doctors and nurses how to disclose and apologize for medical errors.  Thanks to this work many doctors and nurses will now welcome a conversation with a patient or family following a potential medical error.  We want to help you think about this option and other avenues for resolution.  However, we are not a law firm…we are not offering legal advice.  We will not review the merit or value of your case.  Instead, we will listen to you, ask appropriate questions, help organize your thinking, and review potential options.

To learn more, you can contact us at doug@sorryworks.net, 618-559-8168, or the contact form HERE.