Mediation in hospitals or malpractice disputes not only helps to settle claims before they go to court, but also provides the forum for patients and doctors to share all the facts and their feelings about the situation – something that could never happen in a court case.
Another unique benefit of mediation for hospital disputes is that patients who believe something went wrong in their treatment are given the opportunity to talk to hospital staff and educate them on what went wrong, from the perspective of a patient, and how best to work with patients in the future who are concerned about their treatment.
Mediation for hospital disputes are also extremely cost-efficient. Estimates suggest that mediation can significantly cut the cost of malpractice settlements. The associate counsel and director of patient safety and risk management at University of Pittsburg Medical Center (UPMC) and national expert on hospital mediation estimates that their mediation program saves and average of $50,000 in legal expenses in each case that is mediated rather than tried in court. Baltimore Mediation has experience and expertise in hospital setting disputes and conflicts.
At the heart of these disputes is something far more important: patients who simply want to be acknowledged and apologized to – not through a statement issued by the hospital, but by the doctor (s) themselves. Mediation provides a safe arena for patients and doctors to talk face-to-face, which can be the greatest comfort to a patient – that their voice was heard. And mediation can provide the only safe forum for the doctor to explain himself or herself fully, express anger or remorse and find closure on an otherwise upsetting situation. Whether patient, physician or counsel, call upon Baltimore Mediation to assist you in these matters.