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An Overview and Implication of Apology Law and Disclosure Law in U.S.A.

미국의 사과법 및 디스클로져법의 의의와 그 시사점

  • Lee, Won (Department of Medical law and Bioethics, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Ji Yong (Law school, Yonsei University) ;
  • Jang, Seung-Gyeong (Medical Law and Ethics, Yonsei University)
  • 이원 (연세대학교 의과대학 인문사회의학교실 의료법윤리학과) ;
  • 박지용 (연세대학교 법학전문대학원) ;
  • 장승경 (연세대학교 대학원 의료법윤리학협동과정)
  • Received : 2018.06.07
  • Accepted : 2018.06.29
  • Published : 2018.06.30

Abstract

Recently in Korea, public interest about patient safety has increased because patient safety incidents occurred continuously. In addition, as the way of coping with medical personnel and medical institutions after occurrence of patient safety incident became controversial, the necessity of introducing apology law and disclosure law was raised. We analyzed the contents of apology law and disclosure law in U.S.A and critically examined the legislative movements in Korea. First, the Apology law requires that a medical personnel provide apology, consolation, sympathy to the patient for discomfort, pain, damage or death, and that the expression of apology shall be inadmissible as evidence of an admission of liability in civil action or administrative proceeding. The Apology law is divided into 'full apology law' and 'partial apology law' depending on whether mistake, error, fault, liability, and legal liability shall be inadmissible. Meanwhile, Disclosure law enforces or voluntarily enforces the law to communicate with the patient regarding the disclosure of the incident, the cause of incident, the compensation plan, and the measures to prevent the recurrence in the adverse incident that serious harm to the patient. In Korea, the concern about patient safety incidents has been amplified, and as the importance of communication between the medical personnel and patient has been recognized, the revision bill for the "Patient Safety Act", which adopted the U.S.A apology or disclosure law, was submitted to the National Assembly. The purpose of this study was to critically review the contents of the revised legislation based on the analysis of the apology law and disclosure law in U.S.A. and to provide implications for future legislative direction.

최근 우리나라에서는 연속적으로 발생한 환자안전사건으로 인해 환자안전에 대한 사회적 관심이 높아졌다. 더불어 환자안전사건 발생 후 의료인 및 의료기관의 대응방식이 논란이 되면서, 사과법 및 디스클로져법 도입의 필요성이 제기되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 미국의 사과법과 디스클로져법 내용을 분석하고, 우리나라의 입법 움직임에 대하여 비판적으로 검토하고자 한다. 먼저 사과법은 의료인 등이 환자측에게 불편감, 통증, 손상, 사망 등에 대해 사과나 위로, 공감 등을 표하는 경우, 사과 등의 표현은 민사재판 및 행정절차에서 법적인 증거로 사용할 수 없도록 하는 것을 그 주요 내용으로 한다. 사과법은 실수, 오류, 잘못, 책임, 법적 책임의 표현과 같은 규범적 평가요소를 증거법의 보호 범위에 포함하는지 여부에 따라 '완전한 사과법'과 '부분적 사과법'으로 구분된다. 한편, 디스클로져법은 의료기관이 심각한 위해가 발생한 사건 등에 있어 사건의 공개, 발생원인, 보상계획, 재발방지대책 등에 관하여 환자 측과 소통하는 것을 법률상 강제하거나 자율적으로 유도하는 것을 그 주요 내용으로 한다. 한편, 최근 우리나라에서도 환자안전사고에 관한 관심이 증폭되고, 의료인 측과 환자측의 의사소통의 중요성이 인식되면서, 위와 같은 미국의 사과법 또는 디스클로져법을 수용한 "환자안전법" 개정법률안이 국회에 제출되기도 하였다. 본 연구에서는 미국의 사과법 및 디스클로져법의 분석을 토대로 위 개정법률안의 내용을 비판적으로 검토함으로써 향후의 입법방향에 시사점을 제시하고자 한다.

Keywords

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