Medical harm and the consequences of error for doctors

Mistakes in medicine, particularly when patients have suffered harm as a result, are of ethical concern as breaching a fundamental injunction in medicine: "first do not harm". To minimise the chances of a recurrence, an effective response to harm must take into account both the concerns of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical journal of Australia 2002-03, Vol.176 (5), p.222-225
Main Authors: MCNEILL, Paul M, WALTON, Merrilyn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bioethics
Biological and medical sciences
Diagnostic Errors
Ethics, Medical
Female
Health participants
Humans
Infant
Medical Errors
Medical sciences
Medication Errors
Pregnancy
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Teaching. Deontology. Ethics. Legislation
Truth Disclosure
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Summary:Mistakes in medicine, particularly when patients have suffered harm as a result, are of ethical concern as breaching a fundamental injunction in medicine: "first do not harm". To minimise the chances of a recurrence, an effective response to harm must take into account both the concerns of patients who have been harmed and the concerns of doctors who may fear extreme outcomes if a mistake is admitted. There is an apparent conflict between a need to respond to errors non-punitively, on the one hand, and ethical and legal requirements for accountability and compensation for anyone harmed, on the other. There is also confusion between arguments for a "blame-free" culture in the healthcare system and the need to attribute responsibility in some cases. Important elements in an ethical response to mistakes include disclosure to the patient and family; taking appropriate clinical steps to mitigate any harm that may result from a mistake; identifying the process leading to harm; and responding in an appropriate and humane manner to minimise the likelihood of any recurrence.
ISSN:0025-729X
1326-5377