Error disclosure and family members’ reactions: Does the type of error really matter?

• Mentioning the error and apologizing seemed not to be common practice.
• The type of error (clear vs shared responsibility) affected the practice of disclosure.
• Communicating medical errors elicits strong negative emotions by patients.
• Specific training programs to improve disclosure practice should be implemented.

ObjectiveTo describe how Italian clinicians disclose medical errors with clear and shared lines of responsibility.MethodsThirty-eight volunteers were video-recorded in a simulated conversation while communicating a medical error to a simulated family member (SFM). They were assigned to a clear responsibility error scenario or a shared responsibility one. Simulations were coded for: mention of the term “error” and apology; communication content and affect using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. SFMs rated their willingness to have the patient continue care with the clinician.ResultsClinicians referred to an error and/or apologized in 55% of the simulations. The error was disclosed more frequently in the clear responsibility scenario (p < 0.02). When the “error” was explicitly mentioned, the SFM was more attentive, sad and anxious (p ≤ 0.05) and less willing to have the patient continue care (p < 0.05). Communication was more patient-centered (p < 0.05) and affectively dynamic with the SFMs showing greater anxiety, sadness, attentiveness and respectfulness in the clear responsibility scenario (p < 0.05).ConclusionsDisclosing errors is not a common practice in Italy. Clinicians disclose less frequently when responsibility is shared and indicative of a system failure.Practice implicationsTraining programs to improve disclosure practice considering the type of error committed should be implemented.