[[Prompt::A 22-year-old man presents to the emergency department complaining of acute abdominal pain and tenderness. Following initial work-up, he is diagnosed with appendicitis and is cleared for appendectomy. Rushed by the high patient load, the surgeon accidentally performs the appendectomy on a patient admitted for cholecystectomy. What is the best way to approach this mistake?]]
[[Explanation::Regardless of how benign or how serious a medical error is, disclosure of that error and a clear explanation of the circumstances that led to it is an ethical obligation. The physician must also be clear about the severity of the error and what consequences may arise from it. In the case of an adult patient (above 18 years of age), the physician must only share the information with the patient himself; involvement of a third party is considered a breach to the patient's confidentiality. In some cases, the hospital may offer reimbursement to the patient; however, the physician is never to offer monetary compensation to the patient.
Educational Objective: A physician must always inform the patient when a medical error is made. Educational Objective: References: ]]