Patients' experiences with communication-and-resolution programs after medical injury.

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Moore J, Bismark M, Mello MM. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177:1595-1603.

Communication-and-resolution programs have demonstrated declines in malpractice claims in early studies, but implementing these programs effectively has been a challenge. This study is the first to examine patient perspectives on communication-and-resolution programs. Investigators interviewed 30 patients, most of whom experienced harm. Respondents expressed a desire for providers to listen to their perspectives without interruptions, consistent with prior studies. Although patients wished for information regarding what hospitals planned to do to prevent similar events in the future, most reported that they did not receive such follow-up. The authors state that their findings represent opportunities to improve communication-and-resolution programs. A past PSNet interview discussed an organization's pioneering efforts to implement a communication-and-response system.

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