When Things Go Wrong: Responding to Adverse Events
This consensus paper of the Harvard-affiliated hospitals proposes a full disclosure when adverse events or medical errors occur, including an apology to the patient.
Highlights
- The patient and family experience following an adverse event
- The caregiver experience following an adverse event
- Management of the adverse event: Elements of a hospital incident policy, initial response to the event, analysis of the event, documentation, reporting
When Things Go Wrong: Responding to Adverse Events. A Consensus Statement of the Harvard Hospitals. Burlington, MA: Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors; March 2006.
This consensus paper of the Harvard-affiliated hospitals proposes a full disclosure when adverse events or medical errors occur, including an apology to the patient. The paper represents the collaborative effort of a group of clinicians, risk managers, and patients participating from several Harvard teaching hospitals and the Risk Management Foundation.
The paper is organized into three major sections — the Patient and Family Experience, the Caregiver Experience, Management of the Event — and each section is organized into three parts:
- A brief summary of expert consensus about the issue
- The reasoning and evidence behind the consensus
- Recommendations
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