Mandatory error reporting favored. (Short Takes).

The public favors the mandatory reporting of medical errors with little or no immunity for those committing the mistakes. That's a key finding from a recent survey by TNS Intersearch Healthcare Services Group.

Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said they favored some form of mandatory reporting of medical errors by hospitals and physicians. Thirty percent of the respondents said they favored giving no immunity to those reporting errors. Another 27 percent said immunity was only appropriate for those who made errors while following practice guidelines. Just 14 percent said they favored a blanket immunity for those reporting errors. Voluntary reporting was endorsed by another 14 percent.

Commenting on the findings, William Spencer of TNS Intersearch, said, "Despite strong arguments made for both voluntary and mandatory reporting, the public clearly favors mandatory reporting with little or no immunity for the doctors and hospitals involved. The only possibility offering room for compromise is that of mandatory reporting with immunity for those following specific industry guidelines or "best practice."

James A. Hawkins is Publisher of Healthcare Briefings, a newsletter available in print on cassette, via fax, and on computer disk. He can be reached at 800/338-5486.