While highly skilled and experienced, doctors and nurses are not infallible. They have days when they are tired or don't feel well and may make mistakes. Unfortunately when a doctor or nurse makes an error, that error can result in patients sustaining serious injuries.

In recent years numerous reports have shed light on the alarming number of medical errors that occur at hospitals and medical clinics around the country and in states like Ohio. Estimates of hundreds of thousands of patient injuries being attributable to medical errors have lead to improved safety measures at many hospitals.

While it's good that hospitals realize they need to improve safety measures to reduce medical errors, mistakes will still happen. These medical mistakes range in severity, resulting in minor injury or even death. Medical malpractice lawsuits are costly for medical institutions and typically result in large settlement amounts.

In an effort to reduce the likelihood that an injured patient will file a medical malpractice lawsuit, some hospitals are adopting new "disclosure-and-resolution programs". At the core of the program is the belief that if a hospital is forthright in admitting when a medical error occurs, impacted patients may be less likely to take legal action.

Using the "disclosure-and-resolution program" model, hospitals admit that a medical error occurred, apologize and offer compensation when appropriate. After looking at statistical data, however, hospitals currently operating under this program recently learned that impacted patients are actually more likely to file medical malpractice lawsuits.

Researchers believe patients view a hospital's disclosure of an error and ensuing apology and compensation offer as merely trying to avoid a lawsuit. As such, they are more likely to consult with an attorney and take legal action.

While it's commendable that hospitals are taking steps to improve patient safety and reduce medical errors, injured patients still have the right to just compensation. Admitting that an error occurred and offering an apology, while conscionable and appropriate, does not absolve a hospital of wrongdoing.

Source: Business Courier, "Bigger payments for medical errors don't mean more forgiveness," James Ritchie, Dec. 10, 2012