Tuesday, October 6, 2026

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Zlotnik Ballroom

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Overview

Most hospitals say patient safety is the goal. But when serious harm occurs, the system often behaves as though silence is the safest legal option. In other words, preserve privilege, call the carrier, disclose as little as possible, and wait. This session proposes a different model, a hospital that hunts for preventable harm, tells patients and families what happened, apologizes when care fell short, fixes the system, and offers fair resolution before litigation forces the truth into the open. The presentation will examine how such a model could work in Texas without turning candor into chaos. Using de-identified examples from avoidable medical-negligence patterns, the session will walk through first-response triage, internal investigation, QAPI escalation, peer review, insurer coordination, patient-family communication, apology-law guardrails, and settlement authority. It will also address the emotional reality lawyers sometimes avoid, money alone rarely repairs the injury families feel after preventable harm. In a state where litigation may provide limited answers to grief, dignity, and trust, a truthful post-harm process can be a compliance tool as much as a moral one. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for advising hospitals, physicians, and healthcare organizations that want to be aggressive about accountability, not cover-up, while still protecting privilege, managing risk, and improving patient safety.

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