http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0120-3347(12)70035-7

Letters to the Editor

Liliana M. Támara*

Universidad del Rosario. Specialist in Bioethics, Universidad El Bosque, specialist in Health Care Auditing, Universidad Santo Tomás, Candidate to a Master Degree in Social Protection, Universidad Santo Tomás, medical examiner of the Group of Forensic Medicine, Bogotá Office, GC-RB, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses de Colombia 1NMLCF. Bogotá, Colombia

Corresponding author: Calle 13 n.° 7-46, Bogotá, Colombia. E-mail: ltamara@medicinalegal.gov.co (L.M. Támara).

It is extremely satisfactory from the professional perspective, to see the results of the efforts made to fill part of the information gap that exists in the area of medical professional liability in Colombia. This has led to a judicious reflection from different perspectives. Such is the case of Ms. González -attorney at law- who in her article "Medical liability. Reflection on the expert's opinion",¹ contributes with additional conceptual considerations to continue to make headway at the political, legislative, educational and transformative level of Colombian culture, in search for the best professional practices in medicine, in order to secure the best level of health for everyone.

However, it must be acknowledged that the motivations and the processes for filing a professional liability claim are usually based on ignorance on the part of society as a whole, disregarding the motives, the scope and the results of the practice of medicine over a disrupted mind or a sick body. From this approach, medical doctors are called to use every possible opportunity in their professional activities to provide clear and relevant information to patients and to the community as a whole, in addition to discussing the rights and duties of both.

Moreover, every citizen is entitled to receive appropriate legal guidance to express his/her own needs and wants with the participation of attorneys; and the judicial and health care sectors should receive relevant feedback from the information gathered as a result of the cases managed, as mentioned in the article previously published.²

Research project 708 Scientific Research and Technological Development Division, National Insitute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.

Conflict of interests None declared.

1. González DC. Algunos interrogantes sobre la responsabilidad médica. Rev Colomb Anestesiol. 2012;40:131-33.

2. Támara LM, Jaramillo SH, Muñoz LE. Informes periciales por presunta responsabilidad médica en Bogotá. Rev Colomb Anestesiol. 2011;39:489-505.