Emergency Department Management & Law
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Safety Protocols Reduce Risk of Self-Harm for At-Risk Patients
All EDs are at risk for unwanted outcomes, including patient self-harm. Developing and implementing comprehensive safety precautions is an important clinical and risk management strategy. Protocols should be tailored to the specific ED to address their different physical environments.
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State Malpractice Claim Rate Tied to Low-Risk Syncope Admissions
The frequency of malpractice claims is associated with higher rates of hospital admission for ED patients with lower-risk syncope, according to the results of a recent study.
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Template Charting on Nursing Notes Complicates Med/Mal Defense
Instead of making blanket statements about review of nursing notes, the emergency physician should document accurately. If the physician did not actually review the nursing notes, stay silent on it.
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Communication and Resolution Programs Are Alternative to Malpractice Claims
Considering signs of financial uncertainty in liability insurance markets, it is an excellent time for EDs to study communication and resolution programs as an alternative to malpractice litigation, the authors of a recent paper argued.
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When Urgent Care Center Refers Patient to ED, Reasons Might Be Unclear
Ensure all ED patients experience the best attainable outcomes, and devote extra thought to scenarios in which mistakes are less likely to be forgiven. For patients sent by urgent care centers, be sure to fully understand why the patient is there.
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‘Total Breakdown in Communication’ Led to Settlement of Advance Directive Case
EDs can learn a lot from this particular case about how to avoid litigation for disregarding advance directives.
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EDs Face Legal Trouble if Patient’s Advance Directive Not Followed
Emergency physicians worry about litigation because they did not save a patient’s life. However, few realize there are considerable legal risks if aggressive end-of-life care is provided against the patient’s wishes. Several recent million-dollar settlements have involved ED patients who were resuscitated or intubated against the documented wishes in their advance directives.
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Many Patients Worry About Hospital Bill During ED Visit
To prevent EMTALA problems, train staff well, giving them carefully drafted scripts to use for patients who insist on discussing insurance coverage before a medical screening exam.
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Copay Collection Cannot Delay Care, or Hospital Risks EMTALA Violation
Registrars should bring up payment or insurance only after a medical screening exam and stabilizing treatment has been provided. This means a patient should not be asked about copays or payment during the exam or while undergoing treatment.
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Huddles Vital to Effectively Conveying Important Safety, Risk Information
Frontline providers fully understand the importance of safety and risk information. However, considering the ease with which managers and colleagues can communicate such information, some of the most important messages can be lost or overlooked in the barrage of emails, texts, pages, alarms, and other alerts clinicians receive every day.