Mass. Hospitals Take On New Approach To Dealing With Medical Malpractice

Seven Massachusetts hospitals are launching an initiative aimed at reducing costly malpractice lawsuits and encouraging doctors to acknowledge errors.

The Massachusetts Medical Society is calling the initiative "Disclosure, Apology and Offer."

Under the program, hospitals would disclose and investigate mistakes and, if the investigation finds the hospital at fault, they'd make financial offers to patients.

Kenneth Sands, the senior vice president for health care quality at Beth Israel Deaconess, joined WBUR's Morning Edition to discuss the new program.