The Ethical Significance of the Investigation into Medical Malpractices

Abstract

In many hospitals in Japan, team approaches are used in which various kinds of medical staff work together in systemic ways. In such situations, a great many collaborating teams are organized closely and in complex ways with each another. Since the October 1, 2015, a new law for reporting and investigating fatal accidents has been in force, so the directors of facilities for medical care are responsible for reporting fatal cases to the Japan Medical Safety Research Organization and are also responsible for investigating the circumstances leading to mortality. From an ethical standpoint, our activities to enhance medical quality including such investigations are intended to respect both the dignity and the wishes of every patient. At the same time, the directors are also responsible for respecting to autonomy of medical staff as well as their dignity. When considering the practical or legal aspects of inquiries into accidents at our hospital, we need to maintain our professional ethics in medicine.