Are apologies a way to reduce malpractice risks?.

Joseph S Sanfilippo; Caroline Kettering; Steven R Smith

Commentary

Are apologies a way to reduce malpractice risks?.

June 21, 2023

Sanfilippo JS, Kettering C, Smith SR. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2023;66(2):293-297.

View more articles from the same authors.

Effective apology for medical mistakes is a cornerstone for healing and improvement. This piece discusses the impact sincere and complete apologies may have on legal resolutions of patient harm. They discuss the current presence of apology laws at the state level and the limited role they play in protecting clinicians who err and apologize in a court of law.

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