On Thursday, the government launched a new reporting system for deaths resulting from medical care. The iryojiko chosa seido (medical accidents investigation system), created based on last year¡¯s revisions to the Medical Care Law, is aimed at preventing recurrences of medical accidents and ensuring patient safety.
Under the system, all of the nation¡¯s 180,000 hospitals and clinics are mandated to investigate ¡°unexpected¡± cases of patient deaths themselves, regardless of their legal liability, and report the results to the next of kin and a third-party organization.
While some people have hailed the move as a positive step to prevent adverse events, others say it falls short of adequately addressing the needs of patients and families wanting answers. Following are questions and answers on the issue:
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