JAMA Surgery published a study which found adverse events were more likely to affect those surgeons who did not follow recommended guidelines for openly disclosing such instances, according to Medscape.
In the study, researchers distributed a 21-item web-based questionnaire to nearly 67 surgeons who identified and talked about a case that required a patient's unplanned return to the operating room or intervention within 30 days after the initial surgery.
Here are eight key takeaways:
1. Surgeons who reported having difficulty discussing an adverse event were four times as likely to report the event negatively affected their lives.
2. Of the respondents, 92 percent explained why the event happened and 87 percent expressed regret.
3. Ninety-five percent of physicians expressed concern over the patient's welfare and 97 percent reported the event within 24 hours. Ninety-eight percent talked about next steps to treat subsequent issues.
4. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they apologized to patients and discussed whether the event was preventable.
5. Merely 32 percent addressed how to prevent future adverse events.
6. Adverse events mainly negatively impacted those who reported being less likely to discuss prevention.
7. Surgeons with a negative attitude about disclosure at baseline had more anxiety about patients' surgical outcomes or events following the disclosure.
8. Surgeons reported more positive attitudes when disclosing a high-harm event such as a retained surgical sponge than a low-harm scenario, such as blood loss.
"Health systems are making more progress in training physicians to be better communicators with their patients, but this study shows that even in a group that feels more comfortable with disclosure, there's so much more to be done," the study authors concluded.
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