Primum non nocere
First do No Harm
As I write this post, I am listening to Dr. Jeffrey Thompson's Brainwave Symphony- Energize and Focus. For my heavy metal fans, try Symphony & Metallica for the hard rock edge!
NOTE: (click on links to explore)
Last night I listened to a Webinar by Jaan Sidorov, M.D., MSHA, FACP titled: Basics of Medical Malpractice Insurance and Minimizing Chances of a suit. As I listened to the statistics that 12% of a physician's career is spent in litigation and 100% of physicians will be named in a suit at some point I realized the truth behind his comment, " It is the price of doing business and a sacrifice we make as doctors.
Several excellent points were brought up that I will open for discussion:
1) Tort reform.
2) Apology Laws- Do they work? Short answer: yes.
3) Use curbside consults appropriately and respect your colleagues?
4) We are all responsible to do our best to ensure patient safety. Patient safety takes priority above all else.
5) GOOD, THOROUGH patient hand offs from shift to shift for all providers.
6) Safety, Safety, Safety.
7) No finger pointing.
8) Tickler systems as part of the electronic medical records for reminders and safety.
3 good books I encourage people to read: "How Doctor's Think," by Dr. Jerome Groopman; "Who Killed Healthcare?" by Regina Herzlinger & "Complications- A Surgeon's Note on an imperfect Science," by Dr. Atul Gawande.
What is Apology Law's?
ReplyDeleteGlad you asked! An apology law protects a physician from litigation based on an apology alone. It allows a physician to apologize if an error was committed without using the apology in the suit. The facts of the case can remain but the apology wouldn't be permissible. This maintains the physician patient trust and allows a physician the protection to apologize when she or he feels an apology is warranted.
DeleteSo is this something that exists now, or is this just a proposed law?
ReplyDelete