Hospital Management
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Are ethical responses clear to providers if family requests inappropriate care?
Lawrence J. Schneiderman, MD, founding co-chair of the University of California, San Diego Medical Center’s Ethics Committee, notes one of the more extreme views that emerged during the “patient’s rights” movement is that patients have a right to receive any treatments they wish, and that physicians should not impose their “paternalistic” power.
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Pathologists ill-prepared to disclose errors, says research
Virtually all pathologists (97%) reported being involved in a minor or serious error, but only about 39% knew whether the error had been conveyed to the patient, according to a recent survey of 106 pathologists, presented at the 2015 annual meeting of the College of American Pathologists.
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Troubling social justice issues stem from cost of dementia care
Healthcare and caregiving costs for dementia patients in the final five years of life are greater than for patients with cancer, heart disease and other illnesses, according to a recent study.
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Ethical debate rages on gene-editing technology
International organizations are urging the scientific community to allow time for ethical debate on new human gene-editing technologies.
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ED nurses ID barriers to ethical end-of-life care
Researchers surveyed 1,879 nurses and held focus groups with 17 nurses about care of end-of-life patients, educational needs, availability of resources, and barriers to safe and effective care.
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Growing focus on end-of-life and palliative care in ED setting
Multiple studies demonstrate that screening and referral for palliative care consultation is feasible in the emergency department setting.
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Failure to clear airway in a timely manner leads to permanent brain damage, $20 million plus verdict
News: In 2005, a woman entered a hospital with an existing infection in her mouth. Physicians determined that the woman needed an emergency tracheostomy to ensure no blockage to her airway would occur during treatment. The tracheostomy was successful, and her infection was treated with antibiotics. On the sixth day of her hospital stay, after her infection had subsided, her sister, a visiting guest, called for help because the tracheostomy location was bleeding and the breathing tube and blood were blocking the patient’s airway. The nurses did not have experience with tracheostomy tubes, and eventually an anesthesiologist cleared her airway, but the patient suffered brain damage from the lack of oxygen to her brain during the time her airway was obstructed. The brain damage resulted in the woman being disabled, unable to control the muscle functions of her body, confined to a wheelchair, and being in need of the care of others for the rest of her life. The woman filed a medical negligence claim against the hospital, and she alleged the hospital was negligent for the acts of employees that resulted in the tracheostomy tube obstructing her breathing and the employees’ failure to clear her airway in a timely manner. The hospital argued that the sister manipulated the tracheostomy tube, which caused the tracheostomy tube to be out of position and thus caused the ensuing injuries. The jury agreed with the woman and found the hospital was negligent for allowing the woman’s airway to be blocked and thus causing the brain injury that occurred before her airway was unobstructed. The jury awarded the woman more than $20 million in damages. It was determined the woman was entitled to approximately $1.7 million for past emotional distress and medical expenses; $4.5 million for disfigurement and loss of normal life; and more than $14 million for future medical expenses, emotional distress, and pain and suffering. In a lawsuit that lasted nearly a decade, the woman died the day prior to the jury verdict being reached in her favor, and her estate will receive the proceeds of the award.
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Undiagnosed bacterial meningitis in infant results in brain damage, verdict in excess of $10 million
News: In 2009, an 11-month-old >male went to the emergency depart-ment of a children’s hospital showing symptoms of a fever and a respiratory infection. The attending physician diagnosed the infection and sent him home. The infant returned to the same hospital the following day with an increased fever and an abnormal respiratory rate and heartbeat. The hospital treated the infant for bronchitis, and his condition improved before he was released the same day. The infant returned to the hospital a third day in a row and waited 90 minutes before he was seen by a physician. The physician ordered tests that revealed the boy was suffering from bacterial meningitis. Three hours after the test was ordered, the infant was administered antibiotics to treat the meningitis. However, by the time the bacterial meningitis was under control, the infant had suffered brain damage.
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University of Rochester Medical Center settles after HIPAA breaches
After a data breach, the University of Rochester Medical Center announced a settlement, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, JD, announced recently.
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ASCs, lab billing also in OIG’s sights
ASCs and clinical laboratories are among the many healthcare operations targeted for close oversight in the 2016 Work Plan from the OIG of the HSS.