Doctors could end up taking the blame for adverse events, warns AMA Vic
Draft state laws to mandate that hospitals apologise to patients who have been seriously harmed could leave clinicians vulnerable to disciplinary and legal action, says president Associate Professor Julian Rait.
Doctors could become “scapegoats” for adverse events in Victorian hospitals under landmark proposals requiring an apology to patients, the state’s AMA has warned.
Under the “candour” laws being considered by the state government, the first of their kind in Australia, patients seriously harmed while receiving care must receive an apology from the hospital.
Additionally, they’ll need to be told what went wrong and what improvements are being put in place as a result.
But AMA Victoria is concerned hospitals will rely on doctors to deliver the apologies on their behalf, including for incidents caused by other healthcare professionals, leaving them open to medicolegal action.
