Sorry

About that sponge we left in your abdomen. How's about we take it out for free? Boston Globe (07.24.05):

"Harvard Medical School's major teaching hospitals are considering adopting a sweeping disclosure policy that would establish detailed procedures for physicians to openly acknowledge medical errors and other bad results to their patients, and provide for training in apologizing." Hospitals study when to apologize to patients

Apologizing rule one: try to do it while the patient is still alive.