restorARTively

For the past two weeks, a discussion thread on the National Patient Safety Listserv (which has around 3000 members) focused on apologies after preventable medical errors. The igniter was a letter crafted by a British physician to the family of a deceased patient whom he acknowledged his actions harmed. The reactions to this doctor’s unusual step were extensive, varied, sometimes defensive and sometimes offensive. Among the first acknowledgements were that it was poorly written. Some argued that it was unnecessary. Others argued that this doctor did wrong by the profession by being accountable for systems’ errors. I wondered if the family had asked for this information. I wondered if it caused them more harm or if it helped them. Regardless, the doctor’s fortitude was impressive. Whether you agree or not that the physician is responsible for the patient’s death, it should be acknowledged that the individual is being a moral agent for change. Parker Palmer, a celebrated educator and...