Sorry Works!: Disclosure, Apology, And Relationships Prevent Medical Malpractice Claims

This book is, in part, adapted from speeches I have given to medical, insurance, and legal organizations across the United States and in Australia and Canada over the last two years. Liability exposure has been a major issue for healthcare and insurance professionals for a long time, and they are looking for new solutions to an old problem. More and more doctors, nurses, risk managers, hospital administrators, and insurance executives are turning to Sorry Works for answers. I thought it was time to put Sorry Works in a book that was concise and to the point. Along the way I met and had the pleasure of working with James Saxton and his team at the law firm of Stevens & Lee. It was fascinating to me how as lawyers and health law consultants they were spreading the same message. To make sure this message was well grounded in law and risk management principles, we collaborated, and this book is part of that partnership. This book adequately covers the topic of disclosure and apology but has intentionally been kept short so even the busiest professional could read it on a plane ride or over a weekend. Though Sorry Works has its roots in medicine, it is my hope that this book finds a wider audience in corporations, the small business community, and other sectors of our society that are concerned about litigation. I also hope the book appears in college course syllabi so future doctors, lawyers, and business people can read, discuss, and debate it. Indeed, if Sorry Works can work in medical malpractice (often thought to be one of the most contentious and expensive litigation arenas) imagine what it can do elsewhere Moreover, though Sorry Works is a process and program, it also a way oflife universal to all people. Indeed, Sorry Works returns us to our parents' lessons about apology and fixing mistakes. People can actually live with mistakes, but they do not accept or tolerate cover-ups. Sorry Works taps into this psyche and, in doing so, provides a simple yet devastatingly effective way to reduce litigation and associated expenses while improving outcomes and safety, which further decreases litigation exposure. The keys are honesty, candor, and a real commitment to fix problems when something goes wrong. All three elements must be present to prevent conflict, and Sorry Works shows you how to do it.