Humanism in health care: How to address patient harm (12 December 2023)

Summary

In this blog, Scott Ellner, a general surgeon from the US, describes the case of a surgeon colleague who unintentionally harmed a patient, Sarah, during surgery. Sarah ended up in the surgical intensive care unit from septic shock due to a missed bowel injury. Her recovery from what should have been a straightforward procedure was long and complicated. Scott recalls how the surgeon was shocked by the way Sarah's husband responded to him when he explained what had happened—instead of an anger and blame, Sarah's husband expressed compassion for the doctor and reiterated his trust in him.

Scott highlights the importance of creating a Just Culture in healthcare systems and outlines challenges to this in the current climate, referring to the case of nurse RaDonda Vaught. He also outlines the impact patient safety incidents and medical errors can have on healthcare professionals, calling on the healthcare community to embrace shared humanity. All of us come with imperfections, vulnerabilities and the capacity for healing and growth.