Teaching error disclosure: Advanced communication skills training for residents.

Disclosing errors to patients is an advanced communication skill necessary in clinical practice but traditionally not taught during residency training. We developed an educational seminar for senior residents utilizing didactic, small group discussion, and role play that incorporates principles of error disclosure. Our objectives were to improve resident's knowledge of the key components of disclosing medical errors to patients and to provide opportunity to practice communicating medical error in a safe environment. We assessed whether residents are participating in error disclosure and compared self-rated preparedness to disclose an error before and after the teaching session. Nearly all residents (94%) reported that learning about disclosure of medical errors is a very important part of residency training and 58% of residents had already participated in a disclosure discussion. Residents reported they were significantly more prepared to disclose medical errors to patients after participating in the curriculum compared with before, both in terms of the components of medical error disclosure and the emotional aspects of disclosure. This curriculum was associated with improvement in comfort level with error disclosure. Error disclosure represents an ideal educational opportunity for residencies to address multiple core competencies including patient care, communication skills, and professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]