Recalls and Warnings: Risk Management Considerations
From time to time, the FDA, manufacturers, and other agencies issue recalls or serious warnings about devices, drugs, instruments and other healthcare-related products. When one of these notices impacts your medical practice, it is important to follow a comprehensive process and document all the steps you have undertaken to avoid potential liability…
AI in Healthcare: Weighing the Benefits and Risks
The incredible speed at which artificial intelligence (AI) has been adopted in medicine has outpaced the regulatory environment that would typically provide guidance and rules regarding its use. As of the writing of this article, no federal regulation exists to clearly answer common questions.
Lessons in Liability: Against Medical Advice
Against medical advice discharges can be both distressing and dangerous, both because of the health risks to the patient and the liability risks to the provider.
No News Is Not Good News: Overlooked Diagnostic Test Results
Diagnostic test results are a critical component of patient care and the tests we order are increasing in numbers and complexity. Missed or delayed follow-up can lead to adverse outcomes, including delayed diagnoses, unnecessary complications, and potential medical liability claims…
Managing Challenging Patient Interactions
Difficult patient encounters are something all medical providers may face and patient factors such as strong emotions, somatization, unrealistic expectations, and mental health issues commonly contribute to these.
Heightened Awareness to Reduce Missed Diagnosis of Infections
Why are allegations of negligent delay in diagnosis and/or inadequate treatment of infections still so common? This case study and its fallout shed some light and may help keep this from happening to you and your patients.
Virtual Scribing: Using AI in Medical Practices
The benefits of using AI tools to quickly and accurately generate a record of clinical interactions are obvious. However, there are many considerations to examine before implementing the use of such tools.
PRESCRIBING SEMAGLUTIDE: The Importance of Shared Decision-Making
GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), of which semaglutide is an example, have emerged as a prominent therapeutic option for managing type 2 diabetes.
The Importance of an Accurate Problem List
COPIC expert Eric Zacharias, MD, with a case study that illustrates how, during routine screening visits, symptomatic evaluations can be lost to follow up.
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (Part 2)
As the use of AI in healthcare ramps up, there is an ongoing necessity for healthcare systems to regularly assess the impact and risks of AI as its development and deployment is outpacing legal, medical, or business changes.
Know Your Enemy
Each year, the Emergency Care Research Institute issues its Top 10 Health Patient Safety Concerns. Their most recent report identifies the top ten concerns to be aware of now.
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications is the most important new information technology in decades that will change healthcare. This creates an ongoing necessity for healthcare systems to regularly assess the impact and risks of AI as its development and deployment is outpacing legal, medical, or business changes.
Surgery and Cannabis: Should You Screen All Patients Before Surgery?
Over the last two decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of Americans who regularly use cannabis with approximately 10% of the population reporting monthly or greater use. Additionally, cannabis use disorder—clinically significant impairment caused by the recurrent use of marijuana—is believed to be present in about 6 percent of surgical patients.
The CURES Act Information Blocking Rule: 5 Practices to Avoid
As of April 5, 2021, all healthcare providers are required to comply with the 21st Century Cures Act Information Blocking Rule. To assist in your compliance with this complex regulation, here are five practices to avoid.
The Final Act of Care: Completing a Death Certificate for Your Patient
The accuracy of the death certificate is vital to the patient’s family and public health reporting. It can also have long-term ramifications, including provider defensibility.
Informed Refusal: An Underutilized Patient Safety and Risk Management Tool
This case illustrates a situation where the use of an informed refusal form might have protected the physician from allegations of negligent care and prevented a lawsuit. Though the physician was sure he had the conversation regarding risks around a delay in evaluation, including death, the lack of documentation of this discussion in the chart made the care very difficult to defend in front of a jury.
Medical Documentation That Matters; Separating the "Signal" from the "Noise" in EHR Documentation
More documentation isn't necessarily better. In fact, studies demonstrate how current medical documentation includes a lot of “noise,” without necessarily identifying the key “signal” that is important.
Active Shooter Response in the Healthcare Setting
There is a renewed focus on active shooter situations and the safety of medical providers and how to protect them, their staff, and patients. While there is no definitive solution to prevent these situations, there are options to prepare and train for them.
Documentation of Patient Communication
Failure to properly document patient communications can adversely affect care and lead to potential liability exposure for physicians. The experts at COPIC share what you need to know to protect yourself.
LifeBridge Nebraska Partner Appreciation
LifeBridge Nebraska has experienced tremendous growth over the past few months and much of that is in part to our generous sustainability partners. Our partners have demonstrated that they value and prioritize the health and wellness of Nebraska physicians. With their support, LifeBridge can continue to provide our confidential peer-to-peer physician coaching completely free of charge. Please take a moment to check out our partners websites.