Medical Error, Ethics, and Apology

Ethicists and medical scholars agree that adverse medical events should be disclosed to patients and families. However, defining what constitutes a medical error can be difficult.Richard George Boudreau, a maxillofacial surgeon, bioethicist, attorney, and forensic expert, examines medical errors and adverse medical events as well as how apologies and disclosures can actually reduce litigation costs. Get the answers to questions such as: Why is litigation the wrong way to deal with medical error? What has led to the medical culture of deny and defend? How can disputes be resolved without litigation? Can communication and resolution programs be more effective?The book contains a history of medicine, medical errors, and litigation; outlines what philosophers have said about medical error; and contains case studies on what to do and what not to do.