How to Make a Medical Error Disclosure to Patients?

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate Chinese public's expectations of medical error disclosure, and to develop guidelines for hospitals. A national questionnaire survey was conducted in 2019, collecting 1,008 valid responses. Respondents' were asked their views of the severity of error they would like to be disclosed and what, when, where and who they preferred in an error disclosure. Results showed that Chinese public would like to be disclosed any error reached them even no harm. For both moderate and severe outcome errors, they preferred to be disclosed face-to-face, all the information as detail as possible, immediately after the error was recognized and in a prepared meeting room. Regarding attendance of patient side, disclosure was expected to be made to the patient and family. For hospital side, the healthcare provider who committed the error, his/her leader, patient safety manager and high-positioned person of the hospital were anticipated to be present. About the person to make the disclosure, respondents preferred the healthcare provider who committed the error in a moderate outcome case while the leader or high-positioned person in a severe case.