Medicine has become increasingly complicated in recent years. Nurses are in short supply, and handoffs between medical specialties and healthcare facilities can result in confusion among caregivers. When an unanticipated adverse outcome does occur, how healthcare providers choose to respond to that adverse event will have powerful repercussions for all parties concerned. Will the physician apologize? Will the healthcare provider provide the necessary information about what happened? Will the organization take the necessary steps to diminish the likelihood that the error won't be repeated? What about timely compensation? Or will the physician and hospital erect a "wall of silence" to protect themselves from a possible lawsuit?

The Medical Ombudsman/Mediator™ Program is Doing the Right Thing
Before the current medical malpractice achieved front page status, we created a program that resolved disputes between patients and providers at the point of care - when something first happened - rather than waiting for a lawsuit to be filed. We felt then that there had to be a better alternative to litigation, one that was more respectful to all involved and would open the door to a true "blame-free" culture and promote important patient safety initiatives. So, using models of a facilitative mediator and an organizational ombudsperson, we created a hybrid program, the Medical Ombudsman/Mediator™ (MEDIC+OM) Program, that quickly and compassionately addresses concerns of patients and families about the quality of their medical care. And, as proven by healthcare providers in organizations around the country, doing the right thing with the MEDIC+OM Program both reduces medical malpractice costs and fosters improved healthcare systems by feeding changes back into the organization in real time to prevent another error.

The program's success is astounding. In thousands of cases at dozens of locations, Medical Ombudsman/Mediators have been quietly resolving disputes, restoring trust, and preserving resources - as well as avoiding litigation. Patient and families have been getting the answers they seek, physicians have been disclosing honestly, and hospitals have been making necessary quality improvements. While others have been embroiled in political battles over tort reform, the Medical Ombudsman/Mediators have been changing the face of medicine, one case at a time.

There is a better way than litigation to resolve unanticipated adverse healthcare outcomes. Let us help you discover the inestimable value and profound satisfaction of doing the right thing with the Medical Ombudsman Mediator Program.

Your partner in promoting better healthcare.

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