Medical harm: patient perceptions and follow-up actions.

Patient stories are a growing component of understanding the impact of medical errors on patients. This study analyzed voluntary survey data collected by an independent nonprofit news organization from patients regarding harm related to medical care. Almost half of respondents filed a complaint with an oversight agency, a much higher proportion than indicated in previous studies. Only 11.4% of patients reported receiving an apology, suggesting that disclosure and apology programs may remain incompletely implemented. About 20% filed a malpractice claim, consistent with prior data. Taken together, responses from this online public survey echo prior literature on patient reports. A past AHRQ WebM&M perspective explores best practices for error disclosure.