Should Doctors say "I'm Sorry?"

[B.V.]

very interesting article!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/11/sorry ... index.html


Here's an excerpt:

"In this state," Migliori said in a recent interview, "that can be used essentially as an admission of guilt" if a patient files a malpractice suit.

Lawmakers in Rhode Island and eight other states are now considering bills that would allow physicians to apologize when things go wrong without having to fear that their words will be used against them in court.

At least 27 other states have already passed similar laws, nearly all of them in the past four years, according to the American Medical Association."

[richinma2005]

I've head this before, statistics show that if a physician does show sorrow for what happens, then the patient's family is way less likely to sue.

So what makes it kind of sad, is that who knows if the doc even really means it, they may be just going through the motions to reduce the likelyhood of a lawsuit.

Cynical I know.


-rich

[cassidysmom]

In this world it's really hard to not be cynical....however an apology would speak volumes to me and the realization that his negligence played a major role in my child's injury.I think if a doctor was TRULY sorry, then he is taking ownership of the situation and should not be surprised if a family wants to sue.
Dawn
Mom to Cassidy 12 months
ROBPI

[Carolyn J]

I TOtally agree with you Dawn.
That's my "2 Cents " & I'mm sticking to it....

HUGS all around,:)
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI/68

[Mica]

I agree with Dawn and Carolyn! An apology would go a long way toward healing our family.

[F-Litz]

My midwife apologized at my 6 week checkup. That was before I truly knew the brevity of the problem. Had the apology been real, she could have gone to her insurance company and said - this is what happened, this is what I did wrong, let's just settle this now. But no - we had to go and play the games and she went to the depositions and lied every which way - even blaming me for causing the bpi, saying it happened after the baby came home! Sad. So much for the apology. Yeahrightsure, she really meant it - blech!

[brandonsmom]

I think an I'm sorry would have gone a long way towards healing. No one even dared to mention those words, they too turned around and lied, and changed medical records etc...to try and win the law suit, but the courts saw right through them....well that and I had the original set of records. If they would have apologized, it would have changed things, and I would not have sued !!!
GAYLE

[kksmommy]

I have thought about this topic for a couple of days now, and the more I think about the angrier I get. When Kayla was born, my doula was the first one to notice her arm. This was about 2 hours post delivery. She was also the one who told me about it. At the time of delivery, no one noticed her right arm not moving (including the nurses). Everyone kept saying "oh yeah she was moving it when she came out". Looking back at the pictures, they clearly show her arm in the same position in every single one of them, which obviously meant she wasn't moving it. One of the pictures even showed the nurse putting the I.D. band on her affected arm!!! Up until this post I thought it was probably just an oversight, but looking at the pictures I think they knew because in a lot of the pictures her right arm is covered up. They also wouldn't let me hold her right away. It must have been at least 30 minutes before I got to hold her. She was breathing fine and just laying under the warmer screaming. I mean how could a so called baby nurse miss a baby's arm not moving if she sees it every day. One of the apgar criteria is directed towards arm and leg movement!!! And to top it all off my midwife blamed me immediately after birth (before I even knew about the BPI) saying I had one too many cookies!! I just infuriates me to think that she probably already knew and was already trying to put the blame back on me. Ok I just really needed to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening!!

[brandonsmom]

KKSmommy,
That is okay that you had one too many cookies....lol, I had one too many french fry !!! No kinding, that is what they told me.....they will think of any excuse to blame us !!!! GAYLE

[Carolyn J]

KKSMommy,
This is "THEE" OK place to VENT. We understand. Most of us do Vent all the time as Needed. It IS "Good" Mental Health to do so. Also, there is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION here.

Have a good Day,Moms everywhere.

HUGS all around,
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI/68 & Proud of it!