Practice Disclosure Case That Will Strip Your Staff Bare

Whenever I make a Sorry Works! presentation to a hospital or nursing home, I start my talk by reviewing a real case. Obviously, the names have been changed, but here is the true fact pattern from that case: 

"Mrs. Woods is a 53-year old woman who goes to the hospital for a CT-guided biopsy of the liver. Mrs. Woods believes the test shouldn’t be a big deal, so she tells her husband to go to the mall across the street and do some shopping. The technician assures Mr. Woods she will call him when the test is complete.

Mr. Woods is standing in the mall when his cell phone rings. He answers to hear a nurse frantically screaming, 'Come quickly!'

When Mr. Woods gets to the hospital he learns his wife is dead…"   

Those are the only facts I give my audiences, and I ask them to pretend that I am Mr. Woods, the new widower.  I ask them what will they say to me?  What won't they discuss?  How will they treat me?  What will they do for me?  Most of the time physicians and nurses can only respond with stunned silence. 

Let's break this down... 

This is the story of a routine test that goes tragically wrong.  Yet, we don't know for sure that a medical error happened. Most importantly, there is really nothing medical to talk about with Mr. Woods.  This case strips medical professionals bare. Their comfort zone of science, data, tests, etc is ripped away and they're only left to confront emotions.  I'll never forget the physician who literally started yelling at me: "We don't know what to say!  We don't know what to say!  No one ever taught us how to handle this type of situation!!  What do we say?"  Countless other docs and nurses have told me they don't have enough information to say anything; a few have even called the case unrealistic and even unfair.   Sigh....   

For me, the punchline is when I remind my audience this is a case on a Power Point slide and I am a paid speaker, and if they are struggling now what is going to happen when this type of tragedy unfolds in their organization.  

I strongly encourage you to share this case with your physicians and nurses and ask them how they would handle it.  Of course, I am happy to share the case with your staff and show them how to do it the right way.  To inquire about a Sorry Works! presentation, call 618-559-8168 or e-mail doug@sorryworks.net.   

Sincerely, 

- Doug 

Doug Wojcieszak, Founder and President
Sorry Works! 
618-559-8168 (direct dial) 
doug@sorryworks.net