Medical error disclosure: the gap between attitude and practice.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Investigating surgeon attitudes towards medical error disclosure.
• Identifying factors influencing error disclosure practices in academic hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate attending surgeons' and residents' attitudes towards error disclosure.
• Assess factors affecting error disclosure tendencies.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires.
• Survey distributed to attending surgeons and residents at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
• Data collected on attitudes, practices, and concerns regarding medical error disclosure.

Main Results:

• Physicians were less likely to disclose minor (39.6%) than major (49.1%) errors.
• Primary concerns for non-disclosure included fear of lawsuits (71.7%), loss of patient trust (62.3%), and patient/family emotional reactions (56.6%).
• A significant gap exists between intended disclosure and actual practice (16.7% disclosed last error).

Conclusions:

• A notable discrepancy exists between surgeons' intentions and actual practices in disclosing medical errors.
• Medical error management education could potentially reduce this gap.
• Addressing barriers like fear of litigation and patient trust is crucial for improving disclosure.