Hospitalists

May 24, 2018
Physician Learning Must Evolve to Keep Healthcare Workforce Prepared
Eric Barna, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine/Samuel Bronfman Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital
Funded by a grant from The Doctors Company Foundation, Mt. Sinai is the first hospital in New York that has established a program designed specifically to assess and address some of the unique communication challenges facing hospitalists to improve patient care.

Apr 24, 2018
Missed Diagnosis of Spinal Epidural Abscess
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
This case illustrates the importance of promptly diagnosing and treating spinal epidural abscess.

Feb 12, 2018
Safe Handling of Medical Gas Cylinders
Ernest E. Allen, ARM, CHFM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company.
These recommendations can help healthcare facilities handle compressed medical gas cylinders safely and stay in compliance with standards.

Dec 15, 2017
Perceptions of Obesity: An Opportunity to Improve Patient Safety
Jacqueline Ross, PhD, RN, Analysis and Coding Manager, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Understanding biases and attitudes toward obese patients can enable providers to improve patient care and outcomes.

Dec 07, 2017
Teamwork Saves Lives in Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Shooting
Shelley Rizzo, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, and Steven J. Weintraub, MD, Chief of Risk Management, North American Partners in Anesthesia
Teams pull together to save lives and provide support during a deadly hospital shooting.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Oct 24, 2017
Doctors Examine Injury Risks with Malpractice Closed Claims
Robin Diamond, MSN, JD, RN, Senior Vice President of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Taking a close look at research into real-life malpractice claims and incorporating some of the findings into their practices is one way physicians are reducing risks of adverse events.

Oct 14, 2017
Challenging Communications
Michelle Swift, JD, RN, Patient Safety Risk Manager II
Communication breakdowns are a frequent risk management finding in claims, as highlighted in this case study.

Jun 06, 2017
Prescribing Opioids Safely
Howard Marcus, MD, FACP
Dr. Howard Marcus discusses guidelines and recommendations for preventing opioid misuse and addiction in patients with acute or chronic pain.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Apr 20, 2017
The Opioid Epidemic: Resources and Insights
The dramatic increase in opioid use over the past few decades has resulted in an opioid-related epidemic of addiction and death. These expert resources, including data analysis that shines a light on trends in opioid claims, can help address this important issue.

Apr 17, 2017
Prescribing Opioids Safely: How to Have Difficult Patient Conversations
Roneet Lev, MD, Chief of Scripps Mercy Emergency Department, Chair of Prescription Drug Abuse Medical Task Force, and President of Independent Emergency Physicians Consortium
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., and opioids account for over 60 percent of those deaths. Building a strong doctor-patient rapport can help facilitate tough conversations with patients about opioid prescriptions and reduce risks that could lead to malpractice suits.

Feb 23, 2017
Caring for the Hospitalized Obese Patient
Paul Nagle, ARM, CPHRM, Director of Physician Patient Safety, and Shelley Rizzo, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II.
Hospitalists and facilities can reduce potential liability when caring for obese patients by taking risk management steps, such as additional monitoring for patients with OSA.

Feb 08, 2017
Did Failure to Consider Patient’s Morbid Obesity Lead to Fall?
Julie M. Brightwell, JD, RN, Director, Healthcare Systems Patient Safety.
It is imperative that hospitals provide employees with training and guidance that specifically addresses caring for morbidly obese patients.

Nov 30, 2016
Watch for the Signs: Screen All Patients for Suicidal Thoughts
Robin Diamond, MSN, JD, RN, Senior Vice President of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Patients with suicidal thoughts or ideation appear occasionally in physician encounters. Any patient, no matter what issue is being treated and in any setting, could be at risk for suicide. A consistent and formal screening process, plus a response plan, will protect both the patient and the physician.

Sep 23, 2016
Internal Medicine Closed Claims: What Can We Learn?
Robin Diamond, JD, RN, Senior Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, and Julie Brightwell, JD, RN, Director, Healthcare System Patient Safety and Risk Management
Our analysis of closed internal medicine claims identifies top allegations and the most common factors that contribute to patient injury.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Aug 11, 2016
Missed Opportunities
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety Education, and Julie Brightwell, JD, RN, Director, Healthcare System Patient Safety.
Miscommunication and missed opportunities resulting from hurried handoffs can produce fatal results.

May 12, 2016
Specialty Advisory Boards: Bringing Together Expertise
Robin Diamond, JD, RN, Senior Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, and Miranda Felde, MHA, CPHRM, Assistant Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
We provide forums for healthcare leaders to exchange ideas and identify ways to help us advance the practice of good medicine.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Mar 01, 2016
Hospitalist Closed Claims Study
This review of 464 closed hospitalist claims identifies top allegations and factors contributing to patient injury.

Feb 18, 2016
Analysis of Closed Hospitalist Claims
Darrell Ranum, JD, CPHRM, Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors, and Robin Diamond, JD, RN, Senior Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Dec 15, 2015
Challenges in Cultural Diversity: Protect Your Patients and Yourself
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education.
Physicians are increasingly faced with providing care to a multicultural society complicated by literacy issues.

Dec 08, 2015
New Early Warning Criteria Could Reduce Maternal Mortality
Susan Mann, MD, The Doctors Company OB Advisory Board Member
Guest author Dr. Susan Mann reports on a new initiative to address the significant increase in maternal deaths.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Sep 03, 2015
Minimizing Surgical Errors
Jonathan Jones, MD
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Sep 03, 2015
Teamwork in the OR
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Director, Patient Safety Education, The Doctors Company
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Apr 20, 2015
Mid-level Practitioner Liability—Preventive Action and Loss Reduction Plan
This booklet can help practitioners avoid liability risks when hiring or working with mid-level practitioners.

Dec 10, 2014
Editorial Comment on Maintenance of Certification
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
Dr. Troxel suggests ways to restructure the MoC examination process to adapt it to changes in the healthcare delivery system.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Dec 02, 2014
Diagnostic Error in Medical Practice by Specialty
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
This closed claim review focuses on the variance between specialties in the incidence of diagnosis-related error.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Nov 01, 2014
Strategies to Reduce Liability Risks for Hospitalists
Kathleen Stillwell, MPA, RN, Patient Safety/Risk Management Account Executive.
Two common problem areas for hospitalists are confusion regarding the hospitalist's role in the patient care continuum and miscommunication during the different phases of inpatient care, especially during handoffs.

Aug 26, 2014
A Team Approach to Reducing Risk
Paul Bauer, MD, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri- Kansas City School of Medicine, and Tara Benton, MD, MSCI, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Feb 14, 2014
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Ancillary Care Areas: Radiology

Nov 18, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Ancillary Care Areas: Diagnostic Ultrasound
Diagnostic ultrasound can create areas of potential malpractice exposure; this guide can help uncover risks.

Nov 18, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Ancillary Care Areas: Pharmacy
The pharmacy department can create areas of potential malpractice exposure; this guide can help uncover risks.

Oct 24, 2013
Hospitalist Advisory Board
Our Hospitalist Advisory Board meetings bring together top practitioners from around the country with patient safety, claims, and underwriting leaders from The Doctors Company to analyze emerging trends and discuss key issues specific to hospitalists.

Sep 08, 2013
The Rising Tide: Perils of Opioid Use
Howard Marcus, MD, FACP, Chair, Texas Alliance for Patient Access, and Chairman, The Doctors Company Texas Physician Advisory Board
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Jul 22, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Credentialing and Privileging: Non-Physician Practitioners
Credentialing and privileging of non-physician practitioners can create areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Jul 22, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Credentialing and Privileging: Medical Staff
Credentialing and privileging of medical staff can create areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

May 29, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Physical Plant: Biomedical/Preventive Maintenance
Physical plant services can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

May 28, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Physical Plant: Environment of Care
Physical plant services can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

May 27, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Physical Plant: Patient Rooms
Physical plant services can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

May 26, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Physical Plant: Security
Physical plant services can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Feb 28, 2013
TIA Recognition and Management
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
Failure to recognize subtle transient neurologic deficits as a transient ischemic attack or a harbinger of impending stroke can lead to a claim if a stroke subsequently occurs.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Feb 26, 2013
Changing Times, Changing Practices
Siobhan S. Dunnavant, MD, FACOG, The Doctors Company Virginia Physician Advisory Board Member
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Feb 01, 2013
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Clinical Departments: Surgery and Operating Room
The surgery and operating room can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Dec 14, 2012
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Clinical Departments: Obstetrics (OB) Units
This guide can help uncover areas of potential malpractice exposure in the obstetrics (OB) unit.

Nov 27, 2012
REMS: Opioid-Related Patient Safety and Liability
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
The FDA's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) program addresses the epidemic of adverse events related to the inappropriate prescribing, misuse, and abuse of long-acting opioids.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Nov 21, 2012
Postoperative Visual Loss: A Catastrophic Complication
Susan K. Palmer, MD, Anesthesia Consultant
There has been an increase in the number of cases of complete or partial postoperative vision loss associated with surgeries such as prone back surgery, extreme head-down pelvic surgery, and orthopedic surgeries.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Nov 20, 2012
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Clinical Departments: Special Care/Intensive Care Units
Special care/intensive care units can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Nov 18, 2012
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Clinical Departments: Nursing Services
Nursing services can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Aug 04, 2012
Interactive Guide for Hospitals: Clinical Departments: Anesthesia
The anesthesia department can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Apr 16, 2012
Medication-Related Errors and Liability: What Can You Do?
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors.
This article outlines strategies for mitigation of medication-related errors.

Feb 08, 2012
Imperative Conversations: Managing Transitions of Care in the Hospital
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Director, Patient Safety Education.
Standardizing the handoff process has been shown to lower rates of perceived near-miss events and adverse outcomes.

Sep 01, 2011
Patient-Centered Communications: Building Patient Rapport
Wendy G. Anderson, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, Division of Hospital Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
Communication skills can help hospitalists overcome barriers to care by ensuring a clear exchange of information that engenders patient trust.

Aug 01, 2010
Interactive Guide to Patient Safety for Hospitalists
The practice of hospital medicine can have areas of potential malpractice exposure, and this guide can help uncover risks.

Jun 22, 2010
Dilaudid-Related Morbidity and Mortality from Respiratory Depression
Howard Marcus, MD, FACP, a general internist in Austin, Texas, and chairman of The Doctors Company Physician Advisory Board in Texas.
Patient safety organizations and the FDA are focusing on ways to reduce patient harm from opioids.

Apr 07, 2010
Examining the Provider's Role