Should doctors explain a medical error?

Should doctors explain a medical error?

Recently one of the premier American newspapers carried an article by a leading cardiologist at one of the country's leading hospitals, where he frankly admitted an error in diagnosing a case of coronary artery disease. The case involved a 30-year old South Asian man admitted for chest pains with none of the traditional risk factors for heart disease.

A House Episode

Blood tests and the initial electrocardiogram were normal, leading the cardiac team to believe the patient was suffering from acute pericarditis, a benign inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart and typically treated with over-the-counter inflammatory drugs. All indications were typical of pericarditis.

Some Muscle Damage

The patient was informed that another blood test would be done after six hours and if that was normal he could go home. The subsequent blood test showed signs of a minor cardiac muscle damage leading the cardiologist to conclude that the problem could be myopericarditis where the inflammation could involve the heart muscle.

Not Quite Sure

The patient had chest pains through the night and a further blood test in the morning suggested evidence of ongoing heart muscle injury. The cardiologist reluctantly ordered a cardiac catheterization.

An Important Discovery

While the angiogram still played on the computer screen the cardiologist was shocked to note that the anterior descending artery, the so-called widow-maker lesion was completely blocked. In minutes the doctors opened the blockage with a balloon and stent relieving the situation. The patient was quickly on the road to recovery.

The cardiologist was in a dilemma. He had made an error and in his own specialty, but how much should he say? Should he admit the facts and apologize to the patient? The potential hazards of admitting to a professional mistake were daunting. In his internship the hospital legal department admonished young doctors never to admit responsibility for an error.

Chose to Divulge the Truth

As it happened, the cardiologist acknowledged his error to the patient in private and the patient treated the matter as closed.

However, the medical malpractice industry dissuades doctors from making a clean admission of error preferring to drag litigation for as long as possible.

Another Side of the Coin

Many medical malpractice attorneys believe that being honest and open with patients and their families when a medical error occurs is the most advisable policy. However not many doctors will go with this, leaving patients with a sense of hurt and cover-up and a desire to seek justice.

Seeking the Truth

If you or a loved one has sustained an avoidable medical error, and the hospital and doctors have not furnished a proper explanation, much less an apology, then contact the Kellum Law Firm for redress of grievances.

www.kellumlawfirm.com