We give voice to the patients and families who have been harmed by the very healthcare system they trusted to heal them. It’s not just medical errors — which are largely avoidable — that cause the harm. Too often, harm is also caused by the healthcare institution’s response when a patient or family reports an adverse event. Many providers adopt a “deny and defend” approach in these situations, creating a wall of silence that inflicts further waves of harm on those looking for answers.
Whether it’s eliminating hospital parking fees and making medical records available to patients without cost, or adopting safer DNR protocols and ending taxpayer subsidies for physician liability insurance, we advocate for experience-informed solutions and policy innovations that bring greater transparency, accountability and safety to the healthcare system, and assist in its more compassionate delivery. In fact, we’ve advocated for more specific policy initiatives and changes than any other independent patient- and family-centered advocacy in North America.
That’s one reason why many journalists have found that The Center for Patient Protection, and PatientProtection.Healthcare, is a great place to go for new ideas, workable solutions and reactions to breaking news.
Our articles, op-eds and commentaries frequently break news not seen or reported anywhere else.
A selection of Kathleen Finlay’s most read articles from her signature six-year Huffington Post series on medical errors are also available here.