Some docs hesitant to disclose errors: study

A study finds that while a majority of doctors believe they should disclose significant medical errors to patients, some won't for fear of being sued.

The results appear in the February issue of journal Health Affairs. Researchers conducted the poll in 2009 and 1,891 doctors answered anonymously. The results revealed that 66% completely agreed that they should fully disclose all significant medical errors to patients. The survey also reports that 89% of doctors did not tell a patient something untrue over the past year. But when asked if they have not disclosed a mistake because of worries that they would be sued, 20% replied that they have withheld information over the past year.

But the findings do not mean there's a crisis regarding physician-to-patient honesty, said Dr. Lisa Iezzoni, a Harvard Medical School professor and the study's lead researcher. More data is needed to underpin why doctors withhold information from patients. A doctor may not have enough time during an appointment to have an in-depth conversation with a patient.

“There are a lot of potential explanations, including physicians just not wanting to upset patients and not wanting to make patients stressed and worried,” Iezzoni said.

Iezzoni stressed that patients should make it clear to doctors their expectations when it comes to communication. Some patients may have different standards in terms of how much they want to know, but regardless, those preferences need to be made known, Iezzoni said.

Also of note: 65% of physicians responded that they should disclose any financial relationships with drug and medical-device companies.