Disclosure of Medical Error: A Necessary Step in Healthcare Improvement

Medical error has become a major issue around the globe. When errors occur, healthcare practitioners are faced with the ethical dilemma of if, and to whom to disclose the errors. This dilemma of disclosure is faced by healthcare providers across all disciplines, countries, and generations and has far-reaching implications on the progress of healthcare quality. Medical error disclosure is a necessary step to foster a culture of transparency, strengthen partnerships, and improve the quality of healthcare. Although the principle of medical error disclosure is widely acknowledged and endorsed by providers and patients, disclosure is far from common practice. We reviewed Canadian and global disclosure policies and discuss what steps should be taken to remedy the status quo. We suggest the implementation of a uniform policy centered on addressing errors in an ethical and non-punitive manner while respecting the patient’s right to an honest disclosure be a standard of care.