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Harvard Study Continues to Distort Healthcare Quality Debate
The Harvard Medical Practice Study is often cited in discussions of healthcare quality and medical malpractice reform. Missing from this discussion is any mention of the critical flaws of the study, which not only render the data of virtually no use for public policy debate, but which also fail to support the authors’ conclusions about the medical-legal system.

Nov 27, 2023
Diagnosis-Related Medical Malpractice Claims With Indemnities Over $1 Million: Understanding the Primary Drivers
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, and Kathrine Soulsby, RN, BSN, Senior Patient Safety Analyst, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Identifying and concentrating on factors related to high-indemnity medical malpractice claims can help to both improve patient outcomes and reduce financial losses. One common thread in high-indemnity claims is diagnostic errors. Therefore, understanding more about how to protect against and prevent diagnostic errors is paramount to patient safety and to mitigating loss costs.

December 01, 2024, South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
The Rising Threat of Nuclear Verdicts in Medical Malpractice: A Call for Tort Reform
Dr. Patricia Ares-Romero discusses the increasing trend of "nuclear verdicts"—jury awards exceeding $10 million—in medical malpractice cases. She highlights insights from Bob White, President of The Doctors Company and TDC Group, noting that from 2013 to 2023, these verdicts surged by 67%, with the average award among the top 50 malpractice verdicts rising from $32 million in 2022 to $48 million in 2023.

Professional Education
Loss Lessons: Practicing Out of Bounds
Unlicensed staff are vital to efficient patient flow in medical practice. Healthcare organizations have many tasks that are safely and effectively carried out by skilled unlicensed support staff every day. To reach such efficiencies with safety and reliability, careful attention must be given to scope of practice and state and local statutes regarding delegation and supervision. Policies and protocols that outline the scope of practice for unlicensed staff to follow independently, and when they must consult with licensed staff, help even the most talented of your staff understand their boundaries. This case illustrates how informal verbal guidelines can blur the lines and cause well-meaning staff to cross the boundary lines of their scope leading to misdiagnosis and death.

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