Sorry Works

From the Alton Telegraph--"Hospital hopes honesty helps reduce legal costs," by Sanford Schmidt.

A program of encouraging hospitals and doctors to be honest when they make mistakes in order to reduce the cost of lawsuits is getting a cautious nod of approval from local hospital officials, at least in principle.

However, officials said, they already practice honesty, but their liability insurance rates have gone through the roof.

The concept, called "Sorry Works" by a newly formed group called Victims and Families United, is based on a program pioneered by the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lexington, Ky.

The victims’ group introduced the idea at a rally last week. It held the rally to lend support to the beleaguered Madison County court system and the plaintiffs lawyers who practice there.

They said not all suits are frivolous, as critics seem to contend, and that they want to see quality medical care without the necessity to file lawsuits.