“Too often, healthcare organisations, through their inept and unfeeling responses, amplify these later waves of harm rather than mitigating their damaging effects.” Sir Liam Donaldson, M.D., world-renowned patient safety advocate.
Patients and families share their stories about medical errors and their emotional impact
We hear heart-wrenching stories every day from patients and families who have experienced the tragedy of avoidable hospital harm. In addition to its physical toll, which sadly is often life-ending, there is the horrific emotional injury that is inflicted on families who often come up against a wall of silence in their search for answers and accountability. This, too, can be life-altering in its devastation. Without answers and an appropriate apology from those responsible when a loved one is harmed, there can be no emotional healing. Without that healing, the damage to family members can last a lifetime.
Here are a few snapshots we think capture the range of tragedy and emotions that are brought on by the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and Canada. It is one of the reasons all of us need to be doing everything we can to end this epidemic and make Patient Protection 1st.
Read what you can do to help end hospital harm by following the links on our site or by contacting us here.
