TIME Magazine -- When Doctors Say, "We're Sorry"

TIME.com Print Page: TIME Magazine -- When Doctors Say, "We're Sorry"" More and more hospitals are following the lead of pioneers like the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lexington, Ky., and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md., in establishing formal policies requiring medical staff to promptly admit and apologize for mistakes. At a time when hospitals and doctors are desperate to reduce the rising costs of malpractice insurance and litigation, apologizing for medical mistakes may seem to some like legal suicide. But to a widening coalition of players on all sides of the issue--from doctors, hospital administrators and insurance executives to patient advocates, politicians and even trial lawyers--it may actually be a step in the right direction. Since many of these players believe malpractice lawsuits are motivated as much by feelings of frustration as by the almighty dollar, in their view, honesty may indeed be the best policy."
This is so much healthier for both doctor and patient - and wil help to restore the trust patients have in their doctors !