ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study examines perceptions of persons who experienced a medical error and elements that may serve to open communication with those who experienced a medical error in Japan. DESIGN: Survey of individuals who reported a previous medical error in their care and those who did not. SETTING: Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya metropolitan areas, and in Fukuoka, Shimane and Miyagi rural townships in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Questionnaires were distributed to 80 people who had experienced a medical error and 300 people who had not. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of views, expectations and psychological needs regarding medical error. RESULTS: Forty (50%) questionnaires from those who experienced the errors and 201 (67%) from those who did not experience a medical error were completed. Among those who experienced error, 95% (38/40) preferred to be informed of a medical error immediately by senior personnel (57.7%: 23/40). Those who had not experienced error preferred to be informed by a directly responsible provider (87.6%: 176/201). The perception differences regarding who should break bad news showed statistical significance (P<0.001). Respondents reports that 'communication', 'apology' and 'corrective actions' can contribute to promoting resolution. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that after the immediate disclosure of a medical error by senior medical personnel and medical providers should create an environment to continue 'communication' in order to accommodate shifting perspectives of those who experienced the error.