March 28, 2008
Sorry Works!: Disclosure, Apology, and Relationships Prevent Medical Malpractice Claims
This book is, in part, adapted from speeches I have given to medical, insurance, and legal organizations across the United States and in Australia and Canada over the last two years. Liability exposure has been a major issue for healthcare and insurance professionals for a long time, and they are looking for new solutions to an old problem. More and more doctors, nurses, risk managers, hospital administrators, and insurance executives are turning to Sorry Works! for answers. I thought it was time to put Sorry Works! in a book that was concise and to the point. Along the way I met and had the pleasure of working with James Saxton and his team at the law firm of Stevens & Lee. It was fascinating to me how as lawyers and health law consultants they were spreading the same message. To make sure this message was well grounded in law and risk management principles, we collaborated, and this book is part of that partnership. This book adequately covers the topic of disclosure and apology but has intentionally been kept short so even the busiest professional could read it on a plane ride or over a weekend. Though Sorry Works! has its roots in medicine, it is my hope that this book finds a wider audience in corporations, the small business community, and other sectors of our society that are concerned about litigation. I also hope the book appears in college course syllabi so future doctors, lawyers, and business people can read, discuss, and debate it. Indeed, if Sorry Works! can work in medical malpractice (often thought to be one of the most contentious and expensive litigation arenas) imagine what it can do elsewhere! Moreover, though Sorry Works! is a process and program, it also a way of life universal to all people. Indeed, Sorry Works! returns us to our parents’ lessons about apology and fixing mistakes. People can actually live with mistakes, but they do not accept or tolerate cover-ups. Sorry Works! taps into this psyche and, in doing so, provides a simple yet devastatingly effective way to reduce litigation and associated expenses while improving outcomes and safety, which further decreases litigation exposure. The keys are honesty, candor, and a real commitment to fix problems when something goes wrong. All three elements must be present to prevent conflict, and Sorry Works! shows you how to do it.
Author: Doug Wojcieszak, James W. Saxton, Maggie M. Finklestein
Paperback:Â 140 pages
Company: AuthorHouse (2007-12-17)
ISBN:Â 1434354970
List Price:Â $21.95
Amazon Price:Â $14.05
Used Price:Â $11.24
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First-hand advice from an experienced clinician, medical professor, and expert witness Drawn directly from the author’s experience as a successful clinician and medical expert, this new book is unique for medical professionals. Medical Malpractice Expert Witnessing: Introductory Guide for Physicians and Medical Professionals provides valuable introductory advice and insight into the complex and confusing world of medical malpractice. The physician defendant, as well as the medical expert, attorney and potential juror, will better understand medical malpractice. Aided by a medical malpractice trial judge and health care attorneys, you will learn how physicians should decide whether or not to accept a case and how a doctor should conduct himself at the deposition or in trial testimony in court- either as a defendant physician or medical expert. This book also gives numerous examples on the forms and letters necessary for the physician to communicate with the legal system. A Unique Compilation of Practical Information The author delivers objective information from his extensive experience and the broad ranging literature. Proactive strategies to avoid the more common medical malpractice risks in primary care and specialist practices are covered. Aided by a medical malpractice trial judge and specialized health care attorneys it gives specific do’s and don’ts during a pending or ongoing malpractice suit, and an introduction to legal testimony for the physician. This book also includes A Trial Judge’s Advice to Testifying Physicians on Enhancing Credibility in Court, plus chapters on How to Prepare for your Deposition as the Defendant Physician & How to Manage Deposition and Other Attorney. Includes a CD-ROM-”An Update is Just a Click Away” In addition to valuable tips and wisdom, the book comes with an accompanying CD-ROM that outlines in more depth the subjects covered in the book along with web sites for more information.
