Emergency Care Resources

Professional Education
Pain Management Insights: Lessons From Malpractice Cases
Learn about recent claim trends in pain management claims, strategies from past cases, and practical tips to minimize risks for your practice. This program is perfect for all healthcare professionals seeking to enhance patient safety, decrease unfavorable outcomes, and reduce malpractice risks.
1.50 credits

Dec 09, 2024
Is Your Patient a Victim of Human Trafficking?
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, FASHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Although trafficking victims rarely find opportunities to interact with others, a visit to a physician or dental practice may provide an opportunity for a victim to receive help. Learn to recognize the signs of human trafficking and know what steps to take.

Dec 05, 2024, Inside Medical Liability Online
Incidental Findings Can Lead to Malpractice Claims: Practice Protocols Can Help
If the ordering practitioner does not follow up, an incidental finding may lead to patient harm and result in a malpractice claim. The Doctors Company has completed a new analysis of medical malpractice claims against our members in which an incidental finding was identified as a contributing factor.

Oct 04, 2024
Detecting and Addressing Incidental Findings
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, and Angela Jordan, RN, MHSc, Patient Safety Analyst, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
With the use of current imaging technology, it has become more common to find abnormalities, or “incidental findings,” that are unrelated to the reason the imaging was ordered.

Aug 27, 2024
Adjusting Medications for Patients With Kidney Disease: Case Study
Melissa Nelson, RN, Senior Patient Safety Analyst, The Doctors Company
Strategies from our case examination can help practitioners ensure that patients with poor kidney function receive appropriately adjusted medication doses.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Aug 27, 2024
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Transport of Blood Products in Mass Casualty Incidents
Brent Lee, MD, MPH, FASA, Director of Clinical Excellence and Performance Improvement, North American Partners in Anesthesia
Dr. Brent Lee discusses innovations in treating mass casualty incident injuries, including using unmanned aerial vehicles to transport blood products and lifesaving equipment.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

May 01, 2024, ED Management
Communication Is Major Contributing Factor to ED Malpractice Claims
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director in the Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management at The Doctors Company, discusses emergency department (ED) malpractice claims that contain allegations that delayed diagnoses led to poor outcomes or death.

Jan 26, 2024
Preparing a Facility for Maternal Health Emergencies
This case study highlights risk reduction strategies facilities can use to prepare for and address maternal health emergencies.

Jul 01, 2023, Healthcare Risk Management
With Law Enforcement, Be Courteous but Follow HIPAA Rules
With violent crime on the rise, especially in inner-city metropolitan areas, hospital EDs are experiencing more interactions with law enforcement personnel, says Richard F. Cahill, JD, vice president and associate general counsel with The Doctors Company.

Feb 10, 2023
Missed Spinal Epidural Abscess Case
Michelle Swift, JD, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
Experts discuss a case involving multiple communication breakdowns that contributed to the patient’s poor outcome and provide strategies to improve processes.

Feb 03, 2023
Pediatrics: Lessons in Preventing Button Battery Injuries
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
It is critical for clinicians to minimize misdiagnosis and delays in care and treatment of pediatric button battery ingestions, exposures, and insertions.

Jan 05, 2023
Five Key Concerns of Medical Professionals Post-Roe
In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe v. Wade, state restrictions are colliding with clinical judgment in ways unfamiliar to many medical professionals.

Dec 13, 2022
Risks of Delayed Care Post-Roe
Rapid changes in hospital protocols have at times amplified confusion over what is legally allowed when responding to ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or other obstetric complications.

Apr 01, 2022
Analysis of Cerebrovascular Accidents and Malpractice Claims
Shelley Rizzo, MSN, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
Because cerebrovascular accidents can happen at any time and in any location, it is imperative that all members of the healthcare team are able to recognize and respond to symptoms in a timely manner.

Video Oct 28, 2021
Clinical Support Tools to Reduce Diagnostic Errors in Emergency Department
Emergency department systems and processes can increase or reduce the risk of diagnostic error.

Jun 18, 2021
Study of Emergency Diagnosis Malpractice Claims
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
A study of diagnosis-type closed medical malpractice claims from care that occurred in the ED from 2014 through the second quarter of 2019.

Aug 25, 2020
Distracting Devices in Healthcare: Malpractice Implications
Shelley Rizzo, MSN, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
Digital distraction in healthcare is a threat to patient safety and physician well-being.

Aug 27, 2019
EHR-Related Malpractice Risks and Tips
Darrell Ranum, JD, Vice President of Patient Safety and Risk Management
We analyzed 216 medical malpractice claims that closed from 2010 to 2018 in which EHRs contributed to patient injury.

Mar 20, 2019
Study of Malpractice Claims Involving Children
Darrell Ranum, JD, CPHRM, Vice President, Patient Safety and Risk Management
The Doctors Company analyzed 1,215 claims filed on behalf of pediatric patients that closed from 2008 through 2017.

Video Sep 04, 2018
What to Expect from Litigation: Dr. Gupta's Perspective
Emergency medicine physician Dr. Malkeet Gupta recounts how being sued for medical malpractice affected him.