Massachusetts hospitals set to adopt apology program

05/23/2012

To decrease the risk of medical liability lawsuits stemming from issues related to care, several Massachusetts-based hospitals will implement &quot;I&#39;m sorry&quot; policies for their patients, according to a recent report.<br/><br/>American Medical News indicates that Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital are among the hospitals that will install a Disclosure, Apology and Offer program, similar to a successful one that was set up by the University of Michigan Health Care System several years ago.<br/><br/>Amed News notes that under the plan, health professionals will be quicker to inform patients about the status of their own or their loved one&#39;s condition. In addition, should an adverse outcome occur, staff will apologize and offer what it considers to be fair compensation.<br/><br/>Alan Woodward, who head the Massachusetts Medical Society&#39;s Committee on Professional Liability, told the medical news website that the new program has been developed to replace a reactive system with one that&#39;s proactive.<br/><br/>It has yet to be determined when the programs will go into place, but Amed News indicates they should all begin within the year.