The Sunday story: When hospitals don't say sorry (21 January 2024)

Summary

Medical errors happen all the time. They can be overlooked or they can lead to big lawsuits and settlements. But what they rarely lead to is an apology. However, increasingly, patients, families and healthcare professionals, are calling for a new approach, one that acknowledges the lasting damage that comes from a failure to address medical mistakes. In this report for US media company NPR, a Naomi and Jeff tell their story of losing their daughter Thalia to medical error following planned surgery. They report that concerns they and Thalia raised about their breathing were ignored by healthcare professionals, and Thalia died after her brain was starved of oxygen. The hospital didn't give an explanation or apology for Thalia's death.