Informed Consent/Shared Decision Making

Professional Education
Shoulder Dystocia Physician-Patient Disclosure
This enduring activity is designed to assist physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) in enhancing their communication skills when disclosing a shoulder dystocia injury to patients and family members. This type of injury to the infant may, unfortunately, occur despite the best of care; however, effective physician-patient communication is an integral part of clinical practice and has been shown to positively influence outcomes by increasing patient understanding and trust.
0.5 credit

Aug 02, 2023
Noncompliant Patients Increase Liability Risks for Practitioners
Richard F. Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
Practitioners face potential liability when patients do not follow up as instructed or refuse at-home help.

Jul 28, 2023
Quick Check: Informed Consent Process
Using our Quick Check tool can help you improve your informed consent process and documentation.

Mar 17, 2023
Obtaining Informed Consent in Teaching Institutions
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
Given the nature of teaching institutions—where individuals in training participate in patient care to varying degrees—the informed consent process is more complex and can present additional liability risks.

Sep 19, 2022
Mitigating the Legal Risks of Urinary Tract Injury Following Gynecologic Surgery
Pamela Willis, BSN, JD, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
A recent review of gynecologic surgery claims involving urinary tract fistulas reveals the importance of expanding the scope of the informed consent conversation prior to surgery.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Sep 16, 2022
Reduce Patient Safety Risks With Vaccinations, Including COVID-19
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
Vaccine administration is usually regarded as a simple office procedure, often performed without the direct supervision of the physician or a licensed professional. Although vaccinations are a routine procedure, physicians and staff should remain vigilant about patient safety considerations. Whether you’re seeing children for COVID-19 vaccinations or adults for travel abroad or general disease prevention, take time now to assess the vaccine administration protocol in your practice.

Mar 01, 2022
With Medical Implants, Hope and Plan for the Best, but Talk About the Worst
David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group; Senior Vice President, Healthcare Risk Advisors
Even with common implant procedures, variability among human systems creates risks and uncertainties. Dr. David L. Feldman discusses the importance of a true informed consent process using shared decision making.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Feb 03, 2022
Informed Refusal
Richard F. Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
Documenting a patient’s refusal of test or treatment options is key to minimizing risk exposure.

Feb 02, 2022
Informed Consent: Substance and Signature
Robert Morton, MAS, CPPS, Assistant Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
True informed consent is a process of managing a patient’s expectations. Every healthcare provider should develop an individual style and system, making it easier to avoid omissions and ensure consistency of application.

Jan 05, 2022
Communicating with COVID-19 Vaccine-Hesitant Patients: Top Tips
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
As the number of Delta and Omicron variant cases increases alarmingly across the United States, more individuals are considering vaccination against COVID. It is important for physicians to be prepared to answer questions from patients about the various vaccines—particularly since some patients remain hesitant about receiving the vaccination.

Apr 15, 2021
Best Practices in Patient-Centered Care and Shared Decision Making
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education, The Doctors Company
Using a patient-centered approach with shared decision making benefits patients by incorporating their needs and priorities into the treatment plan.

Oct 05, 2020
Orthopedics: Informed Consent
Robert Morton, CPHRM, CPPS, Assistant Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, and Dana Faber, MS PSL, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Inadequate informed consent communication between the surgeon and the patient/family is a top factor contributing to claims against orthopedists.

Sep 30, 2020
Otolaryngology: Inadequate Informed Consent Can Lead to Malpractice Claims
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, Patient Safety Risk Manager II
Our analysis of otolaryngology claims revealed that inadequate informed consent is a frequent contributing factor in malpractice claims.

May 01, 2020
Informed Consent for COVID-19 Risks: Frequently Asked Questions
To support our members and the entire medical profession during this unprecedented time, the following are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding informed consent for COVID-19 risks.

Apr 22, 2020
Minor Consent: Challenges for Pediatric Dentistry
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Consultant, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Identifying legal guardianship and the rights of parents can reduce risk prior to treating a minor.

Dec 11, 2019
Cultural Diversity Creates Language Barriers: Reducing Claims with Multilingual Patients
Rich Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, and Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety Education, The Doctors Company
Clear and unambiguous communication constitutes the key component of the physician-patient relationship. Proactively implementing office procedures to promote optimum communication reduces the risk of disputes.