Thomas H. Gallagher, MD

Recent Publications:

• Gallagher TH, Mello MM, Levinson W, Wynia M, Sachdeva AK, Sulmasy LS, Truog RD, Conway J, Mazor K, Lembitz A, Bell SK, Sokol-Hesner L, Shapiro J, Puopolo AL, Arnold R.  Talking with patients about other clinicians’ errors.  N Engl J Med 2013:369;1752-1757.
• Gallagher TH, Prouty CD, Brock DM, Liao JM, Weissman A, Holmboe ES.  Internists’ attitudes about assessing and maintaining clinical competence.  J Gen Intern Med. Dec 3, 2103.
• Gallagher TH, Levinson W.  Physicians with multiple patient complaints: Ending our silence. BMJ Quality and Safety. Jul 2013;22(7)521-524.
• Iedema R, Allen S, Britton K, Piper D, Baker A, Grbich C, Allan A, Tuckett A, Williams A, Manias E, Gallagher TH.  The ‘100 patient stories’ project: Patient and family member views on how clinicians (should) enact Open Disclosure-a qualitative study.  BMJ 2011;343:d4423.
• Dudzinski DM, Hebert PC, Foglia MB, Gallagher TH.  The disclosure dilemma: Large scale adverse events.  NEJM 2010;363(10)978-986.
• Gallagher TH, Garbutt JM, Waterman AD, Flum DR, Larsen EB, Waterman BM, Dunagan WC, Fraser VJ, Levinson W.  Choosing your words carefully; how physicians would disclose harmful errors to patients. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1585-1593.
• Gallagher TH.  Clinical Crossroads: A 62 year-old woman with skin cancer who experienced wrong site surgery. JAMA. 2009;302(6):669-677.
• Gallagher TH, Studdert DM, Levinson W.  "Disclosing harmful medical errors to patients." N Engl J Med 2007;356:2713-9.
• Gallagher TH, Waterman A, Ebers A, Fraser V, Levinson W. "Patients’ and physicians’ attitudes towards the disclosure of medical errors." JAMA, 2003;289:100-1007
• Gallagher TH, Garbutt JM, Waterman AD, Flum DR, Larsen EB, Waterman BM, Dunagan WC, Fraser VJ, Levinson W.  "Choosing your words carefully; how physicians would disclose harmful errors to patients." Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1585-1593.

Recent Talks

• “Disclosing Medical Errors to Patients: Challenges and Opportunities in Graduate Medical Education.”  Plenary Speaker, Patient Safety in GME meeting, University of New Mexico, 3/30/04.
• “Identifying and Safely Overcoming the Barriers to Disclosure.”  Invited presentation, 6th Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress, Boston, MA 5/4/04.
• “Teaching Ethics Through Effective Communication,” co-presenter, American Society of Bioethics and Humanities Annual Meeting, Philadelphia 10/28/04.
• “Alternatives to Litigation-Roundtable Discussion,” invited co-presenter, A Prescription for Patient Safety and Medical Liability: New Solutions to an Old Dilemma,” conference convened by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Alexandria, VA; 11/8/04.
• “Should We Disclose Harmful Medical Errors to Patients, and If So How?”  Invited presentation, ACGME Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL; 2/13/05
• “Enhancing the Process for Disclosing Harmful Medical Errors to Patients,” keynote speaker, Baptist Health South Florida, 3/9/05.
• “Searching for Safer Healthcare: A Leadership Forum,” Keynote speaker, SUNY Buffalo, 3/30/05.
• “Talking With Your Patients About Medical Mistakes,” Invited presentation, American College of Physicians Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 4/14/05.
• “Medical Errors in Oncology: Patients’ and Physicians’ Attitudes and Management Strategies,” Invited presentation, American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Orlando 5/13/05.
• “US and Canadian Surgeons’ Attitudes Towards Disclosing Harmful Medical Errors to Patients.” Invited Grand Rounds presentation, Dept. of Surgery, Emory University, 7/27/05.
• “Error Disclosure and Apology Workshop”, Invited presentation, The Patient Safety Imperative, Harvard Medical School CME Course, Boston, 10/21/05.
• “Risk Managers’ and Physicians’ Attitudes Regarding Error Disclosure”, Invited presentation, ASHRM Annual Meeting, San Antonio, 10/24/05
• “Should Surgeons Disclose Harmful Medical Errors to Patients?, If So, How?”, Invited presentation, Surgical Caucus of the AMA, Dallas, 11/5/05.
• “What to Do With the Unanticipated Outcome? Does Apologizing Make A Difference? How Does Early Resolution Impact Settlement Outcome?” Invited presentation, Medical Liability and Healthcare Loss Seminar, Defense Research Institute Annual Meeting, 3/1/06.
• “Should We Disclosure Harmful Medical Errors to Patients?, If So, How?, Invited presentation, American Association of Physiatry Annual Meeting, 3/4/06.
• “Surgeons’ Disclosure of Harmful Errors to Patients: What is the data telling ?” Parviz Kamangar Humanities In Surgery Lectureship”, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Annual Meeting, 6/6/06.

Awards, Honors and Grants Received:

• Select Awards and Honors:

  • MITSS Hope Award, 2012 
  • Council, Society of General Internal Medicine, elected to 3-year term in 2010 
  • President, Society of General Internal Medicine Northwest Region, 2009 
  • Physician-Investigator of the Year Award, Society of General Internal Medicine Northwest Region, 2008 
  • Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars in Bioethics Award, 7/1/03-6/30/07
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research, 2008 
  • Fellow, American College of Physicians, 2004 
  • Marion E. Smith Junior Faculty Research Award, University of Washington School of Medicine, 2003 
  • Best Published Research Paper of the Year, Society of General Internal Medicine, 2004.
  • David E. Rogers Junior Faculty Education Award for outstanding workshop presented by a junior faculty member, Society of General Internal Medicine Annual National Meeting, 2001

  Select Current Research Awards

  • Principal Investigator, " Communication to Prevent and Respond to Medical Injuries: WA State Collaborative", Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 9/30/2013-9/29/2018
  • Principal Investigator, " Developing Sound Regulatory Strategies for Responding to Medical Injuries", Greenwall Foundation, 1/1/2014-12/30/2014  
  • Principal Investigator, "Responding Justly to Patients Harmed By Medical Care: Disclosure, Compensation, and Litigation", Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research, 6/1/2008-11/30/2014