All physicians make mistakes, and most mistakes are not the result of negligence. A physician may make a mistake because of an incomplete knowledge base, an error in perception or judgment, or a lapse in attention. Making decisions on the basis of inaccurate or incomplete data may lead to a mistake. The environment in which physicians practice may also contribute to errors. Lack of sleep, pressures to see patients in short periods of time, and distractions may all impair an individual's ability to avoid mistakes.
Physicians have an obligation to be truthful with their patients.
That duty includes situations in which a patient suffers serious consequences because of a physician's mistake or erroneous judgment. The fiduciary nature of the relationship between a physician and patient requires that a physician deal honestly with his patient and act in her best interest. In general, even trivial medical errors should be disclosed to patients. Any decision to withhold information about mistakes requires ethical justification. If a physician believes there is justification for withholding information about medical error from a patient, his judgment should be reviewed by another physician and possibly by an institutional ethics committee.