Interventional Radiology Wrong-Site Procedure: Case Review
This case review explores factors contributing to a wrong-site procedure and highlights strategies that can help practitioners mitigate risk and increase safety.
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As Corporate Entities Enter Healthcare, Practices Can Respond via Patient-Centered Care
Corporate entities have always been involved in healthcare, but now mega corporations—from outside the medical space—are entering the field. The involvement of these large non-legacy corporate entities in healthcare is growing and is challenging—and while this trend brings some benefits, it will also impact how all clinicians provide healthcare.
October 16, 2022, The Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner
Avoiding Medical Malpractice: An Interview with David Feldman, MD, MBA
Dr. David L. Feldman, Chief Medical Officer for The Doctors Company, speaks with Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN, Associate Professor of Neurology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, on ways to improve patient outcomes and prevent medical malpractice.
Professional Education
Post-Surgical Management of Antiphospholipid Syndrome Leads to Adverse Outcome
(Claims Corner CME)
Clinical judgement involves a clinician’s utilization of objective and subjective information to arrive at treatment decisions. The way providers process or interpret information, or cognitive bias, can also impact clinical judgment. This program presents a case study that reveals multiple factors which contributed to the patient’s adverse outcome or injury. After reviewing the case details, we will highlight three of those contributing factors that influenced the case.
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.
Mental Health Practitioners: Balancing Privacy With Public Welfare
Societal tension and an increase in demand for mental health services have resulted in unexpected consequences for healthcare practitioners.
February 21, 2024, Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Professional Liability: The Problem That Will Not Go Away
The frequency of malpractice claims in the United States has trended downward in the last 10 to 15 years, however, there is an upward trend in the “severity” of claims, driven in large part by “nuclear” jury verdicts. Cardiologists and other clinicians should always be aware that a lack of communication is a common causal factor in malpractice suits. Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and CEO, The Doctors Company and TDC Group, investigates claim amounts and severity alongside three prominent physicians.
Dec 13, 2022
Increased Risks of Delayed Care Post-Roe: Clinician Perspectives
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, 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. Clinicians in some states may feel pinned between their obligation to care for the patient and their obligation not to break the law.
December 15, 2023, Inside Medical Liability
MPL Cases: What Are the Primary Drivers of High-Indemnity Medical Malpractice Claims?
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, and Kathrine Soulsby, RN, BSN, Senior Patient Safety Analyst, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, investigate high-dollar medical malpractice litigation and explain how reducing diagnostic errors is paramount to enhancing patient safety and mitigating loss costs.
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.