Division of Education

Communicating with Patients about Surgical Errors and Adverse Outcomes

This DVD provides practicing surgeons, surgical trainees, and surgeon-educators with a resource to help them examine effective communication about surgical errors and adverse outcomes, from perspectives of patients and surgeons. Current research findings are provided, along with vignettes portraying disclosure scenarios and discussion points. After completing this program, learners should be able to incorporate the critical elements of a disclosure conversation in their practices to provide optimum patient care. The purpose of this program is to present various perspectives on communications involving adverse outcomes and errors in surgery.

None of the material offered in this program is intended as legal advice or as representing the standard of care with regard to disclosing adverse outcomes or medical or surgical errors. This project was supported by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Grant U18 HS12021 and is free of charge. Developed by the ACS Division of Education.