Hébert P C, Levin A V, Robertson G
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont.
CMAJ. 2001 Feb 20;164(4):509-13.
Adverse events and medical errors are not uncommon. In this article we review the literature on such events and discuss the ethical, legal and practical aspects of whether and how they should be disclosed to patients. Ethics, professional policy and the law, as well as the relevant empirical literature, suggest that timely and candid disclosure should be standard practice. Candour about error may lessen, rather than increase, the medicolegal liability of the health care professionals and may help to alleviate the patient's concerns. Guidelines for disclosure to patients, and their families if necessary, are proposed.
不良事件和医疗差错并不罕见。在本文中，我们回顾了关于此类事件的文献，并讨论了是否以及如何向患者披露这些事件的伦理、法律和实际问题。伦理、专业政策和法律，以及相关的实证文献表明，及时、坦诚的披露应该成为标准做法。对差错保持坦诚可能会减少而非增加医护人员的医疗法律责任，并有助于减轻患者的担忧。本文还提出了向患者及其家属（如有必要）进行披露的指导原则。
