Medical mistakes can shake trust between healthcare professionals and patients. Writing an honest letter of apology needs careful thought and genuine care. Each word carries weight as you explain what went wrong and show your commitment to making things right.
Sending the right message matters deeply to patients and their families who deserve clear answers. A well-written letter helps rebuild trust and shows respect for those affected by medical errors. These sample letters will guide you through writing your own meaningful apology.
Duty of Candour Letter of Apology Samples
These examples will help you compose an effective letter of apology.
1. Wrong Medication Dosage
Subject: Apology Regarding Medication Error on March 15, 2024
Dear Mr. Thompson,
As your primary care physician at Central Medical Center, my duty requires me to tell you about a mistake in your care. On March 15, 2024, you received 20mg of [medication] instead of the prescribed 10mg dose.
This error happened because of a mix-up during medication preparation. While you did not show adverse effects, this mistake should not have occurred. We have now updated our medication double-check system to prevent similar errors.
Your health and safety remain our top priority. Please contact me at [phone number] or [email] to discuss any concerns or questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sarah Chen
Lead Physician,
Central Medical Center
2. Delayed Test Results
Subject: Apology for Delay in Communicating Test Results
Dear Mrs. Rodriguez,
This letter addresses a delay in sharing your blood test results from April 2, 2024. Standard practice requires us to communicate results within 48 hours. Your results took five days to reach you because of an administrative oversight.
Though your results showed normal readings, this delay caused unnecessary worry. We have fixed the tracking system that led to this mistake. Your future test results will reach you within the standard timeframe.
Please call our office at [phone number] if you would like to discuss this further.
Best regards,
Dr. Michael Barnes
Laboratory Director
3. Incorrect Patient Identification
Subject: Apology for Patient Identification Error
Dear Ms. Johnson,
My duty as Head of Emergency Services at Metropolitan Hospital requires me to tell you about an error that occurred during your visit on April 10, 2024. You were mistakenly registered under another patientās name for approximately 20 minutes.
The error was caught during the initial assessment. No medical procedures or treatments were given during this time. We have added extra verification steps to our registration process to avoid similar mistakes.
Please contact me at [phone number] to discuss any concerns about this incident.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. James Wilson
Head of Emergency Services
4. Surgical Site Mix-up
Subject: Apology for Pre-surgical Site Marking Error
Dear Mr. Garcia,
As your surgeon at Regional Medical Center, my duty requires me to inform you about an error that occurred before your knee surgery on April 5, 2024. The surgical site was initially marked on your left knee instead of your right knee.
This mistake was identified during our final safety check before anesthesia. The correct knee was then marked and operated on. We have strengthened our pre-surgical marking protocols to prevent such errors.
Your recovery remains my primary concern. Please call my office at [phone number] with any questions.
Best regards,
Dr. Linda Chang
Senior Orthopedic Surgeon
5. Lost Laboratory Sample
Subject: Apology for Lost Blood Sample
Dear Mr. Peterson,
As Laboratory Manager at City Healthcare Center, my duty requires me to inform you that your blood sample taken on March 20, 2024, was misplaced during transport to our testing facility.
This means you will need another blood draw. We have changed our sample tracking procedures and added safeguards to prevent future losses. We will arrange the new blood draw at your convenience, at no cost to you.
Please call [phone number] to schedule your appointment.
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Kim
Laboratory Manager
6. Delayed Emergency Response
Subject: Apology for Ambulance Response Delay
Dear Mrs. White,
As Chief of Emergency Medical Services, my duty requires me to address the 25-minute delay in ambulance response to your emergency call on April 8, 2024. Our standard response time is 8-12 minutes.
The delay occurred due to an incorrect address entry. We have updated our dispatch software and added address verification steps to prevent similar delays.
Please contact me at [phone number] to discuss this incident further.
Sincerely,
Sarah Matthews Chief,
Emergency Medical Services
7. Medication Allergy Oversight
Subject: Apology for Overlooking Allergy Information
Dear Ms. Brown,
As your attending physician, my duty requires me to inform you about a medication error during your hospital stay on March 25, 2024. You were prescribed [medication] despite your documented allergy to this drug.
The pharmacy caught this error before the medication reached you. We have enhanced our allergy alert system and retrained staff on allergy checks.
Please contact me at [phone number] to discuss any concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Thomas Lee
Attending Physician
8. Incorrect Prescription Instructions
Subject: Apology for Wrong Medication Instructions
Dear Mr. Davis,
As your pharmacist at Central Pharmacy, my duty requires me to inform you about an error in your prescription instructions on April 12, 2024. The label indicated taking the medication once daily instead of twice daily.
We spotted this mistake during our end-of-day review. The correct instructions are to take one tablet twice daily. We have implemented additional checking steps for prescription labels.
Please call me at [phone number] if you need clarification.
Best regards,
Jane Stevens
Lead Pharmacist
9. Lost Patient Records
Subject: Apology for Temporary Loss of Medical Records
Dear Mrs. Taylor,
As Medical Records Director at Community Hospital, my duty requires me to inform you that your medical records were temporarily misplaced during your transfer between departments on April 3, 2024.
Your records were located after two hours. We have improved our file tracking system and added new protocols for patient transfers.
Please contact me at [phone number] with any questions about this incident.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patricia Moore
Medical Records Director
10. Diagnostic Test Mix-up
Subject: Apology for Mixed Test Results
Dear Mr. Anderson,
As Director of Radiology, my duty requires me to inform you that on March 30, 2024, your X-ray results were briefly mixed with another patientās images.
This error was caught during the radiologistās review. Your correct images were properly identified and assessed. We have added new verification steps to prevent such mix-ups.
Please call [phone number] if you would like to discuss this further.
Best regards,
Dr. David Wright
Director of Radiology
11. Appointment Scheduling Error
Subject: Apology for Double-Booked Appointment
Dear Ms. Martinez,
As Clinic Manager at Family Health Center, my duty requires me to address the scheduling error that occurred on April 15, 2024, resulting in a 45-minute wait for your appointment.
We have updated our scheduling software and trained our staff on proper booking procedures to prevent similar situations.
Please contact me at [phone number] to discuss any concerns.
Sincerely,
Mary Thompson
Clinic Manager
12. Communication Breakdown
Subject: Apology for Failed Communication of Surgery Date Change
Dear Mr. Wilson,
As Surgical Coordinator at Regional Hospital, my duty requires me to address our failure to inform you about your surgery time change on April 6, 2024.
We have revised our patient notification procedures and added backup contact protocols to ensure all schedule changes are properly communicated.
Please call me at [phone number] to discuss this incident.
Best regards,
Susan Roberts
Surgical Coordinator
13. Equipment Malfunction
Subject: Apology for Equipment Failure During Procedure
Dear Mrs. Harris,
As Head of Medical Equipment, my duty requires me to inform you about the blood pressure monitor malfunction during your procedure on April 4, 2024.
While backup equipment was used immediately, this caused unnecessary stress. We have replaced the faulty unit and increased our equipment maintenance checks.
Please contact me at [phone number] with any questions.
Sincerely,
John Marshall
Head of Medical Equipment
14. Privacy Breach
Subject: Apology for Accidental Information Disclosure
Dear Mr. Turner,
As Privacy Officer at City Medical Center, my duty requires me to inform you that your medical information was briefly visible on an unattended computer screen on April 9, 2024.
We have added automatic screen locks and retrained staff on privacy protocols to prevent similar incidents.
Please call [phone number] to discuss any concerns about your privacy.
Best regards,
Lisa Cooper
Privacy Officer
15. Mixed Patient Records
Subject: Apology for Patient Record Mix-up on May 1, 2024
Dear Mr. Chen,
As Clinical Director of City General Hospital, my duty requires me to inform you about a mix-up with your medical records during your stay from April 28 to May 1, 2024. Your treatment notes were briefly combined with another patientās file.
We caught this error during our regular review process. While this did not affect your treatment, it represents a serious breach of our standards. We have strengthened our patient identification protocols and trained our staff again on proper record-keeping.
Your privacy matters greatly to us. Please contact me at [phone number] to discuss any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rachel Martinez
Clinical Director
Final Thoughts: Writing Letters of Apology
Letters of apology need honesty, clarity, and compassion. Tell patients what happened, understand how it affected them, explain the changes made, and show genuine concern. Keep your tone professional yet caring throughout the letter. Make sure patients know how to reach you with questions or concerns.