We hear about horrible instances of medical malpractice in Virginia hospitals everyday. What would happen if the hospitals and doctors just flat out admitted their mistakes? Would there be a huge increase in malpractice lawsuits filed against the hospitals? Would hospitals, and their insurance carriers, pay out such large sums in settlements that they would go broke?
It appears the answer is a resounding “NO.”
Doctors who disclose having made medical errors are good for a hospital’s bottom line, reducing claims for compensation and lowering liability costs. That’s the conclusion of a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. According to the study, establishing the disclosure program led to a decrease in new legal claims, time to resolve claims, and total liability costs. Read the study for yourself.
Why don’t the following hospitals located in western Virginia disclose their errors?
Alleghany Regional Hospital
Bath Community Hospital
Buchanan General Hospital
Carilion Bedford Memorial Hospital
Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital
Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital
Carilion New River Valley Hospital
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
Centra Lynchburg General Hospital
Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital
Danville Regional Medical Center
Dickenson Community Hospital
Johnston Memorial Hospital
Lewis-Gale Medical Center
Martinsville Memorial Hospital
Montgomery Regional Hospital
Norton Community Hospital
Page Memorial Hospital
Pioneer Community Hospital
Pulaski Community Hospital
Rockingham Memorial Hospital
Smyth County Community Hospital
Stonewall Jackson Hospital
Tazewell Community Hospital
Twin County Regional Healthcare
Wellmont Bristol Regional Hospital
Wellmont Lee Regional Medical Center
Wellmont Lonesome Pine Hospital
Wythe County Community Hospital