Legal
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.
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.
June 15 commemorates World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), a day for people and organizations to get informed and take action to protect older individuals against elder abuse. Elder abuse refers to intentional or negligent acts by a caregiver or trusted individual that causes harm to an older person.
These case studies present two situations where a physician sees a patient who has apparent medical misdiagnosis or mismanagement by a prior provider.
In the era of open access, patient portals, and new information blocking rules, patients now have the ability to demand documentation of their visits with medical providers. Find out what the new rules mean for providers, including common records to which patients don't have access
In the era of open access, patient portals, and new information blocking rules, patients now have the ability to demand documentation of their visits with medical providers.
Breakdown of how to follow “Uniform Guidance for Procurement in Your Healthcare Organization”
Information Blocking is the term adopted by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to address barriers to accessing electronically stored patient information by providers, patients, and others entitled to it.
Among other things, 2020 will go down as The Year of Telemedicine. What began as a response to COVID-19 has emerged to become a more permanent shift in health care.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created many new challenges for hospitals to manage and exacerbated existing complexities. A few examples are: Regulatory compliance, Telemedicine and telehealth, New competition, Revenue and receivables, Financial reporting, Higher deductible plans, Cancelled or deferred services, COVID-related expenses.
When it comes to medical liability risks, you can never overemphasize prevention. The best way to avoid adverse outcomes is implementing measures that prevent them from happening in the first place. Read on for a list of six ways to be proactive and minimize your liability.
When it comes to medical liability risks, you can never overemphasize prevention. The best way to avoid adverse outcomes is implementing measures that prevent them from happening in the first place.
Health care providers may experience interactions with law enforcement personnel that create uncertainty around their responsibilities to patients, including the duty to protect patients’ privacy. Law enforcement personnel are tasked with ensuring public safety and conducting criminal investigations.
One of the challenges of being a medical provider is when your world intersects with the legal world. It can place you in situations where confusion and concern may arise when deciding the proper course of action. A common example is when health care providers receive medical records request from an attorney.
Dean McConnell, JD, is Senior Legal Counsel with COPIC, a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance.
In conversations about opioid prescriptions, there can be unspoken fears and motivations swirling beneath the surface. The patient may be fearful, aggressive or even dishonest. The clinician may fear backlash if the answer is no, but also knows that saying no could save a life.
Developing and maintaining an active risk management program can be a challenge for any employer. Healthcare facilities are no different and face many of the same obstacles that other industries are challenged with overcoming.
Traditionally, diagnosis has been thought of as solely the physician’s responsibility; accordingly, most leaders of healthcare organizations take a hands-off approach. But, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, diagnostic error is not simply failing to diagnose correctly—it’s the failure to establish an accurate and timely explanation of the patient's health problem or communicate it to the patient.1
Effective July 1, healthcare providers, business associates, and other businesses maintaining patient information in South Dakota, will have a new law with which to adhere.
Physicians are aware that the practice of medicine carries risk, and that adverse outcomes can and do happen to patients. Physicians just don’t think they’re going to be a part, or cause, of them. Patients have risk factors that can increase the likelihood of complications, and medical procedures have their own inherent risks. Physicians know this. But when something goes wrong for patients, it can be devastating to physicians because they care deeply about their patients.
“You look tired.” Everyone knows this is never a compliment. But did you also realize it can be an actual danger to yourself and others in your workplace? While fatigue is not the same thing as general sleepiness, ongoing lack of quality sleep can increase the risk of fatigue. Additionally, shift work, workload, monotonous tasks, and other environmental factors can also increase one’s risk of fatigue in the workplace.
According to the 2011 to 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, US healthcare workers suffered 15,000 to 20,000 injuries each year related to workplace violence that required time away from work for treatment and recovery. 1 Between 70% and 74% of all workplace violence injuries occurred in healthcare, on average this is four times greater than in private industry.2
To ensure an effective physician-patient relationship and provide quality care, you must be able to communicate with your patients.
Animals are rarely seen in physician offices, so it may take patients and staff by surprise when a person walks in with an animal. Many physicians and their staffs actively discourage the presence of animals within the office for cleanliness and hygiene reasons—as well as the potential safety threat from an uncontrollable animal. However, medical practices that prohibit all animals from their premises under any circumstances risk facing allegations that they have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In keeping with our annual tradition, we have dedicated the next few pages to some of the year’s top stories. Many of this year’s MED cover stories have been all about growth and expansion. Sanford opened a new breast center, Avera expanded its transplant program, LifeScape introduced new options for autism, and Brookings welcomed patients to its renovated hospital. We also looked at the ways in which institutions across the region are working to manage their growth safely, efficiently, and cost effectively with help from telemedicine, hospitalists, and foreign-born providers. Is there someone or something you would like to see on the cover of MED in 2018? Send your ideas to Alex@ MidwestMedicalEdition.com.
American Indian tribes have long been a popular focus for population research studies. Too often, however, the findings are never even shared with the tribe, let alone used to improve tribal health.
A Section 1557 lawsuit is now pending in an Arizona federal court. Twelve (12) hearing-impaired individuals have brought suit alleging their healthcare provider discriminated against them by not providing sign language interpreters or electronic video interpretation. Instead of providing such accommodations, the lawsuit alleges, the healthcare staff relied on notes and lip reading in an attempt to communicate with the patients. The individuals assert that the provider should have trained the staff to recognize when interpretation is necessary, provided a functioning electronic video interpretation system, and instructed the staff on how to use electronic video interpretation.
Just like airline pilots, the ability of health professionals to place public safety first, doing their job well and unimpaired, is essential. Health professionals are keenly aware of their ethical and moral responsibilities. But through the lens of addicted thinking, an individual may rationalize that their use of opioids won’t lead to impaired judgment. That their diversion—appropriating patients’ prescription medication—won’t affect patient safety or lead to malpractice claims.
Lab testing is one of three key areas (the others are referrals to specialists and missed/canceled appointments) where tracking and follow-up are vitally important. A retrospective study researched the frequency of patients not being informed of test results, concluding there was a 7.1 percent failure rate.2 Tracking and follow-up procedural safeguards can be implemented and have a large impact on potential liability claims.