title: Disclosure of Medical Errors in Oman: Public preferences and perceptions of current practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to provide insight into the preferences for and perceptions of medical error disclosure (MED) by members of the public in Oman.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January and June 2012, an online survey was used to collect responses from 205 members of the public across five governorates of Oman.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A disclosure gap was revealed between the respondents' preferences for MED and perceived current MED practices in Oman. This disclosure gap extended to both the type of error and the person most likely to disclose the error. Errors resulting in patient harm were found to have a strong influence on individuals' perceived quality of care. In addition, full disclosure was found to be highly valued by respondents and able to mitigate for a perceived lack of care in cases where medical errors led to damages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The perceived disclosure gap between respondents' MED preferences and perceptions of current MED practices in Oman needs to be addressed in order to increase public confidence in the national health care system.
authors.affiliation: Academic Partnership Unit, Coventry University, Coventry, UK; ; Department of Behavioural Medicine, Oman Medical College, Sohar, Oman, E-mail: mark.norrish@coventry.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark I K
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Norrish
keywords: Disclosure; Ethics, Medical; Medical Error; Oman