Medical disclosure

It's commonplace to check reviews and references before booking a vacation, buying a car or joining a health club, so why not do the same before undergoing gallbladder surgery?

A legislative measure debated in Hartford this week would give patients the ability to do just that. It would undo a 2004 revision of the state's 2002 "adverse events" law for hospitals and surgical centers by eliminating the confidentiality provision that currently keeps most medical error reports secret.

The new law would require the state Department of Public Health to produce annual reports on adverse events - such as surgical mistakes, patient falls or miscommunications resulting in inappropriate care - including identifying the hospitals and centers where mistakes occur and summarizing the corrective actions taken.

It would also require the department to conduct random audits of hospitals to ensure they are reporting adverse events, and would protect from retaliation hospital staff who report such incidents.

The legislation makes sense. No one wants to make a mistake, particularly in a medical setting. But when a mistake occurs, the public should be privy to the information.

The Connecticut Hospital Association opposes the Senate bill, arguing it will be counterproductive to advances already made under the existing confidential, nonpunitive medical reporting system. And the state Department of Public Health voiced opposition, arguing that the annual report will be of little help to the public because it will lack specifics, such as hospital size and patient population, which place the information in perspective.

That sounds like gobbledygook to us, intended to prevent medical facilities from disclosing discomforting information.

Patients and their families have a right to know where medical errors have occurred and how hospitals addressed them. They have a right to make informed decisions about the care loved ones receive.

More than an appliance, vacation or motor vehicle, the public has a right to be discerning about investing in health care.