Recognition of medical error: It is not too late for an open disclosure – a narrative review

Abstract

A medical error is a preventable adverse effect of medical care. These errors are usually avoidable. They are a vast source of ethical, financial, and even mental problems affecting patients, physicians, and healthcare organizations. The negative impact on patients can be physical, generating sequelae or disability. It could lead to a loss of trust in the patient and his family in the doctor or the hospital where he has been treated. On the other hand, doctors resist disclosing their errors to the patient, fearing lawsuits and financial losses. Disclosure errors are also an imperative moral duty. In this narrative review, the authors discuss obstacles that exist and prevent an adequate open disclosure, including flaws in medical education, and propose ten steps to proceed with an open disclosure if a medical error occurs.