AMA Journal of Ethics^®

This month, AMA Journal of Ethics theme editor Margaret Cocks, MD, PhD, a third-year resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, interviewed Theonia Boyd, MD, about ethical issues pathologists face when conducting autopsies and obtaining specimens.

The authors address the medical ethics question of whether autopsy is necessary from Cartesian and sociocultural perspectives and how to obtain consent.

Alternatives to suing could help open communication between injured patients and clinicians.

A survey suggests that there is broad consensus among physicians about the importance of honesty with patients, but there is variation in physicians' behavior in disclosing certain information to patients.

Asking for forgiveness may be oppressive to a patient or family still grappling with the fact of the harm, the impact of the harm, and their own emotional response to the harm.

The AMA Code of Medical Ethics' opinions on patient safety.

Acknowledging errors and the manner in which they occur both enables doctors to hold themselves accountable and promotes understanding that can lead to error prevention.

Do some pernicious patient safety problems remain unresolved, even after systems changes, because health care professionals are not personally held accountable for their failure to meet standards?

Following involvement in an error, professionals at all levels experience complex feelings that include guilt, self-doubt, embarrassment, disappointment, self-blame, a sense of inadequacy, and fear.