Annonce d'un dommage associé aux soins : pourquoi ? Comment ?

Disclosure of care related damage is not only statutory but also justified by epidemiologic, ethical and economic purpose. However, for many physicians, talking to patients about harmful events related or not to medical errors or to management failure is a “cultural revolution” bringing some fear for the physicians. This relation with the patient is complex and tactful, with no automatic formula available. Each intervention and sentences should be customized. Some general rules should be reminded and this is the goal of the present work. The procedure of announcement of undesirable events should be included within the hospital strategy of care safety and care quality.