Healthcare Risk Management – December 1, 2012
December 1, 2012
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New system would encourage patients to report med errors to feds
A proposed system that would encourage patients to report medical errors is getting mixed reviews from the healthcare industry and legal professionals, with many expressing concern that the reports would yield little useful information but drive up medical malpractice costs. -
AHRQ plan would solicit error reports in hospitals
Under the plan proposed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), patients and their relatives would report medical errors and near misses through a web site and in telephone interviews. -
Many unanswered questions about reporting system
There are a number of unanswered questions about the proposed patient report system for medical errors, and one of the most important is how the data would be used, says George B. Breen, JD, an attorney with the law firm of Epstein Becker Green in New York City. -
Congressmen question value of patients reporting errors
In response to news about a possible program that would encourage patients to report medical errors, eight U.S. congressmen wrote to Carolyn Clancy, MD, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to express their concerns. -
Court suggests EMTALA could apply to inpatients
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) has posed liability risks for hospitals for many years, but EMTALA obligations have been limited mainly to the emergency department (ED). Now a recent decision by a federal district court in Texas suggests that the law could be applied much more broadly to inpatients as well. -
Patient alleged transfer attempts violated EMTALA
The recent federal district court decision from Texas involving the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) concerned an inpatient who alleged that repeated attempts to transfer him from the hospital violated the statute. -
End-stage renal disease care cited in OIG’s Work Plan
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) recently released its Work Plan for the fiscal year 2013, giving risk managers a heads-up about what topics will be of most interest to regulators over the next year. Some are perennial favorites, such as fraud and abuse, but there are many new areas of focus for 2013. -
'Safe Count' effort aimed at overlooked items in delivery
Retained objects are a constant worry in any invasive procedure, but the risk has gone overlooked in obstetrics. A project from the Minnesota Health Association (MHA) is changing that situation and has practically eliminated the problem statewide. -
Transition to accountable care brings major risks
The healthcare industrys transition to accountable care will require significant cultural and operational shifts, bringing new risks that many organizations have yet to fully identify and manage, according to a new white paper from Marsh, the insurance broker and risk management consulting practice based in New York City. -
Many risks will come with shift to ACOs
No matter the precise structure of the accountable care organization (ACO) or network that they are joining or forming, it will be critical for hospital risk managers to carefully manage the risks associated with the transition to ACOs. -
Med mal management for integrated systems more critical than ever
It is estimated that 50% to 60% of physicians and hospitals are exploring ways to team up. Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management business of Aon Corp., expects this trend to lead to significant collaborative activity, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and additional developments across the United States. -
Senator questions hospitals over 340B drug funds
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is asking three North Carolina hospitals to explain their use of a federal discount drug program after news reports described how the hospitals charge their patients a big mark-up on certain drugs, such as cancer-fighting drugs. -
Legal Review & Commentary: $21 million jury verdict issued for victim of birth injury
News: A woman prematurely gave birth to an infant in 2002. The womans labor was induced, and she experienced a prolonged vaginal birth. The fetus was under distress during delivery. -
Legal Review & Commentary: $15 million verdict awarded to victim of overdose death from propofol
News: The patient was a 45-year-old woman who had been experiencing chest discomfort. Her primary care physician told her to obtain a complete heart check-up at the hospital.