When medical errors occur, fearing hospital negligence lawsuits, many hospitals are quick to assign blame to specific doctors or nurses rather than take responsibility for any organizational failure. Recognizing that when medical errors happen there are often deeper and more systemic problems, some hospitals around the country are trying a new approach.

Coined the Seven Pillars approach, the process promotes open and honest dialog when medical errors happen or almost happen. The seven steps in the process entail the following:

•1) Report any incident that may cause or could have caused harm to patients

•2) Dig deeper to find out why the incident occurred in an attempt to find the source of possible problems

•3) Communicate with patients when errors or close calls occur

•4) Waive any patient fees associated with the costs of the error

•5) Address system problem(s)

•6) Monitor and track patient reports to chart progress

•7) Train medical personnel on how to provide safer patient care

One hospital that has implemented the Seven Pillars approach has seen a 50 percent reduction in costs associated with lawsuit settlements. More importantly, by owning up to medical mistakes and engendering a culture of full disclosure, the hospital is effectively working to improve patient care and safety.

Encouraged by successful early results, healthcare researchers are planning to implement the Seven Pillars approach at 10 additional hospitals. This approach may be more widely adopted in states like Ohio if it is found effective in both cutting costs and improving patient safety.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, "Revealing Medical Errors Helps Chicago Hospitals Build a Safer Health System," Carolyn M. Clancy, M.C., July 10, 2012