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directed at clinicians on the why’s how’s and what’s of
apologizing to patients and their families. The profound effect
that a trusting, respectful, and honest human relationship plays
cannot be overrated.

對醫學、社會方面影響：

Modern medicine renders us huge capacity to deal with
diseases. Though every medical intervention brings an
expected outcome, human bodies often react in unpredictable
ways. Doctors try their best to perform standardized and
evidence based treatment, yet unexpected events happen all the
time. This short but profound book act as a calling, advocating
medical professions to humble themselves and perform
apologies as the common courtesy. Many factors contribute to
the problem physicians have with apology, but the most glaring
is the perception that offering an apology to a patient comes
with legal liability, and thus, creates the “deny and defend”
culture of medicine. The book breaks down just about every
aspect of “I’m sorry” and why it is so difficult for doctors to
apologize, the risk behind it, and moreover, what a meaningful
apologize entails.

Dr. Michael Woods provided clear principles of ways to
exercise appropriate apology to patients. Recognition: knowing
when an apology is in order. We should read the feelings of our

2020 年.醫學倫理.人文醫學.心得 79