Sounding the alarm.

Australian Doctor,  September, 2005  by Murphy, Kate

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Debate about how and when doctors should tell patients about a medical mistake is causing unease. By Kate Murphy

A PUSH to make doctors legally bound to report mistakes promptly to patients has met strong resistance in medicolegal and insurance circles.

Experts in these fields have labelled the idea unrealistic and an academic "frolic" that could result in increased litigation and detract from progress towards "open disclosure" of adverse events.

The issue was raised in the Journal of Law and Medicine by medical and legal academic Dr Thomas Faunce, of ...

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