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Appellate Court Reinstates Claims of Negligent Treatment Causing Permanent Disability
A three-judge appeals panel in Illinois reinstated claims by a patient with multiple sclerosis for her neurologist’s negligence in treating her disorder. The treatment caused the patient’s permanent disability. The trial court originally rejected the patient’s amended complaint. -
Use of Defective Laser Leads to $9.7 Million Verdict Against Hospital
This case shows the importance of informed consent in medical negligence cases and defines how strictly a court upholds the standard of care when informing a patient of the asserted risks of a procedure outside the scope of a doctor’s expertise. -
Stay Vigilant About Malpractice Risks with Telemedicine
The dramatic increase in the use of telemedicine is raising concerns about the potential for malpractice issues related to this form of caregiving, with some experts cautioning a wave of lawsuits could be on the way. Adherence to key principles of patient safety and risk management can reduce the risk. -
Protect Peer Review Privileges, or Risk Serious Consequences
A hospital’s peer review protection often prevents attorneys from potentially using damaging information in court, but that protection can be forfeited. To protect patient safety investigations, the most important thing is to follow the applicable federal or state peer review statute as strictly as possible. -
TJC, OSHA Expect Hospitals to Address Violence
The Joint Commission recently updated its standards for preventing and addressing violence in the healthcare workplace. OSHA's General Duty Clause requires employers to provide their employees with a place of employment that is “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” -
Workplace Violence on the Rise; COVID-19 Partly to Blame
Always a challenging problem, workplace violence in healthcare settings has worsened recently as the many stresses of the pandemic push staff, managers, patients, and family members to the breaking point. Risk managers should review their workplace violence policies to ensure they clearly define workplace violence to include bullying, intimidation, and harassment. -
Reporting Misdeeds: How and When to Use Disclosure Protocol
Once a risk manager realizes the organization may have violated laws or regulations, the best course of action might be to report the violation instead of hoping no one will discover it. Self-disclosure can offer many advantages that result in lesser penalties and other consequences. But it is important to know when to report and how to do it advantageously. -
Social Isolation Among Older Adults Is Associated with Higher Rates of Disability and Mortality Post-ICU Stay
In this observational cohort study drawn from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, social isolation among older adults admitted to the intensive care unit was associated with greater disability burden and higher one-year mortality rates after critical illness.
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Invasive Aspergillosis Is an Independent Predictor of Mortality in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection
This multicenter cohort study found a high incidence of invasive aspergillosis in mechanically ventilated patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.
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Vasopressin and Steroids Increase Likelihood of Return of Spontaneous Circulation with Unclear Longer-Term Effects
In this multicenter, randomized clinical trial, the combination of vasopressin and methylprednisolone improved the rate of return of spontaneous circulation in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest but had no significant effect on longer-term outcomes.