POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS

Stephanie Quon; Sarah Low; Sarah Zhou; Katherine Zheng

doi:10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607

POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS

Abstract

Background: Medical errors remain as a troubling cause of preventable harm within healthcare systems. In response, error disclosure has emerged as both an ethical imperative and a quality improvement priority. Despite increasing institutional and legal support for transparency, disclosure practices are often hindered by emotional, organizational, and systemic barriers. Objective: This scoping review consolidates evidence on medical error disclosure and response, with particular attention to strategies that address power dynamics, communication practices, legal protections, organizational culture, and community engagement. Methods: A curated body of peer-reviewed literature from 2000 to 2025 was analyzed using an integrative and interpretive approach. Sources were drawn from medicine, public health, ethics, law, and education, and categorized across ten thematic domains: disclosure and communication; support for healthcare professionals; systematic learning; safety culture; legal and ethical considerations; restorative approaches; surveillance; education; interdisciplinary insights; and community-led models. Results: Findings highlight that effective disclosure is supported by structured frameworks (e.g., CANDOR), legal protections (e.g., apology laws), and organizational policies that promote psychological safety. Emerging innovations include patient-partnered education, virtual training modules, interdisciplinary root cause analysis, and community-informed participatory models. However, gaps remain in sustainability, long-term outcomes, and integration of equity and power-sensitive approaches. Conclusions: Medical error response is evolving from isolated clinician responsibility to an integrated, systems-based practice. Sustainable progress requires alignment of institutional culture, legal reform, emotional support, and patient engagement. By embracing relational, transparent, and justice-oriented frameworks, healthcare systems can transform error disclosure into a meaningful catalyst for healing, accountability, and trust

Keywords

Ethical Statement

This study did not involve the use of human participants, animals, or hazardous materials. As such, ethics approval was not required. All data used in this scoping review were obtained from publicly available published literature.

Thanks

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support and resources that made this work possible. No specific individuals or organizations contributed directly to the development of this manuscript.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Health Systems

Journal Section

Review

Authors

Stephanie Quon ^*
0000-0001-9188-8380
Canada

Sarah Low
0009-0007-5433-7820
Canada

Sarah Zhou
0009-0008-1564-7727
Canada

Katherine Zheng
0009-0004-7989-711X
Canada

Publication Date

October 24, 2025

Submission Date

April 14, 2025

Acceptance Date

October 9, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 10 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA95AL69FC

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Quon, S., Low, S., Zhou, S., & Zheng, K. (2025). POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS. International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy, 10(3), 305-317. https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607

AMA

1.Quon S, Low S, Zhou S, Zheng K. POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS. IJHSRP. 2025;10(3):305-317. doi:10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607

Chicago

Quon, Stephanie, Sarah Low, Sarah Zhou, and Katherine Zheng. 2025. “POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS”. International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 10 (3): 305-17. https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607.

EndNote

Quon S, Low S, Zhou S, Zheng K (October 1, 2025) POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS. International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 10 3 305–317.

IEEE

[1]S. Quon, S. Low, S. Zhou, and K. Zheng, “POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS”, IJHSRP, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 305–317, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607.

ISNAD

Quon, Stephanie - Low, Sarah - Zhou, Sarah - Zheng, Katherine. “POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS”. International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 10/3 (October 1, 2025): 305-317. https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607.

JAMA

1.Quon S, Low S, Zhou S, Zheng K. POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS. IJHSRP. 2025;10:305–317.

MLA

Quon, Stephanie, et al. “POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS”. International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy, vol. 10, no. 3, Oct. 2025, pp. 305-17, doi:10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607.

Vancouver

1.Stephanie Quon, Sarah Low, Sarah Zhou, Katherine Zheng. POWER AND DISCLOSURE IN HEALTHCARE: A SCOPING REVİEW OF MEDICAL ERROR RESPONSE ACROSS SYSTEMS. IJHSRP. 2025 Oct. 1;10(3):305-17. doi:10.33457/ijhsrp.1675607