Pa. Senate OKs Bill To Allow Health Care Apologies
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A bill that would allow health care professionals such as doctors or hospital executives to apologize for a mistake without it being admissible in court as evidence of liability has the approval of Pennsylvania state senators.
The bill passed unanimously Tuesday.
The sponsor, Sen. Pat Vance of Cumberland County, says more than half of the states have already allowed such apologies to patients or their families without liability. The goal is to reduce the number of medical malpractice lawsuits.
She says studies have shown that a large percentage of patients and families may not have filed such lawsuits if they'd been given an explanation and an apology.
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