Healthcare Risk Management 2000 Index

Baby kidnapping

correction plan calls for equipment upgrades, JUL:77

education, fast response can prevent kidnappings, JUL:77

successful kidnapping shows weakness in security systems, JUL:73

Certification

experience and education required for new CPHRM, OCT:112

new certification promises risk managers career boost, OCT:109

Childbirth videos

ACOG warns against videotaping births, JUN:63

more OBs prohibit birth videos but difficult to enact policy, JUN:61

Compliance programs

compliance officer role poses no conflict, JUN:64

inspector general issues guidance for physicians, NOV:127

now the norm in hospitals, 128

Confidentiality

confidential interviews find more adverse events, OCT:117

confidentiality important to most settlements, OCT:113

extra steps needed when media given wide access, NOV: 125

Johns Hopkins warns of unprecedented media access, NOV:121

new rules developed to protect patient records, OCT:116

risk manager and legal counsel team up for Hopkins 24/7,’ NOV:125

Doctor "carving" incident

Beth Israel disputes article on Allan Zarkin, JUL:83

Beth Israel fined $14,000, MAR:29

Beth Israel likely to be held responsible, MAR:30

Dismissed doctor quickly hired by clinic, MAR:31

doctor sentenced to probation, JUN:65

Hospital sanctioned for death during hysteroscopy, MAR:32

quick settlement in Zarkin case won’t clear liability, MAR:25

Drug errors

California law requires pharmacy quality assurance programs, DEC:141

electronic prescriptions could cut errors, JUN:70

ISMP calls for elimination of written prescriptions, JUN:67

malpractice insurer endorses electronic prescribing, AUG:96

medication errors common in nursing homes, OCT:116

penicillin alternatives pose risk of drug error, JAN:12

pharmacy group proposes system for error reporting, MAR:35

EMTALA

final word from government means trouble, JAN:1

intent to dump’ not needed for violation, APR:43

patient departures pose EMTALA dilemmas, JAN:4

rule clarifications, explained by attorney, DEC:136

rule clarifications pose new risks, DEC:133

End-of-life decisions

Avoid legal problems by approaching families properly, AUG:85

Fraud and abuse

$10 million settlement ends fraud case, OCT:119

Columbia’s liability likely to exceed $1 billion, JUL:81

dialysis centers settle fraud suit for $486 million, MAR:33

feds offer safe harbors for anti-kickback statute, JAN:9

HCFA: Problem nursing homes to face sanctions, FEB:23

investigators on lookout for excluded providers, DEC:137

OIG: Watch for providers excluded from Medicare, FEB:22

Quorum settles fraud lawsuit for $95.5 million, NOV:129

Supreme Court to review False Claim Act lawsuits, FEB:21

telemedicine networks may lead to fraud, APR:48

watch for racial bias in kidney transplant, JAN:11

Handwriting

poor handwriting on scrip called negligence, JAN:6

Hospice

early hospice referrals can suggest fraud, JAN:5

HCFA head says there is no six month time limit, DEC:138

Informed consent

forms are a waste of paper,’ APR:43

Institute of Medicine report on medical errors

IOM calls for major effort to reduce errors, JAN:8

IOM calls for new agency, mandatory reporting, FEB:15

IOM report puts focus on errors, pressure on risk managers, FEB:13

look for ways to make IOM report work for you, FEB:16

report could stir animosity from patients, FEB:19

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

ASHRM calls for changes in HIPAA privacy rules, MAY:57

compliance advice, MAY:55

ignoring HIPAA provisions puts you in legal peril, MAY:54

Joint Commission

data show surgical complications, causes, APR:47

develops standards for office surgery, SEP:108

ends commendation award, JAN:9

issues reminder on survey process changes, MAR:34

to survey hospitals’ compliance with HCFA rule, SEP:108

Lawsuits and penalties

bedsore lawsuits on rise, could signal new problems, APR:45

choose carefully when signing an attorney, SEP:100

doctor sued for providing Dilaudid to 17-year-old, SEP:107

New York hospital gets $80,000 fine, sharp rebuke, MAY:52

residency-trained ED docs less of a risk, SEP:104

study shows malpractice awards have gone way up, JUN:68

truth not biggest concern when deciding to settle or fight, SEP:97

Malpractice prevention

guidelines offered to help radiologists avoid lawsuits, AUG:92

Medical and diagnostic errors

automation can reduce errors, MAY:59

errors show system faults, not individual problems, OCT:117

groups join to cut errors, protect confidentiality, FEB:18

IOM report called exaggerated, inaccurate, SEP:102

JCAHO suggests ways to cut med errors, FEB:19

JCAHO weighs in on mandatory reporting, MAY:60

kids need more protection from errors, JUL:82

mandatory reporting proposal scaring risk managers, APR:37

New York cites doctor for removing healthy kidney, JUN:66

O’Leary calls for more info on medical errors, APR:42

QuIC report ures national error reporting system, APR:40

Risk managers say errors a problem, but not locally, APR:41

Should patients, families be told of mistakes? AUG:88

VA, NASA to develop no-penalty error reporting, JUL:80

VA report outlines high error rate, FEB:17

warning issued for infusion pump, OCT:118

Nursing homes

70% have serious deficiencies, DEC:139

Restraints

JCAHO revises requirements on restraints and seclusions, NOV:131

revisions seek to reduce restraints and seclusion, JUL:78

Self-reporting

favorable treatment’ offered for self-disclosure, MAY:51

OIG urges self-reporting of improper conduct, MAY:49

Sentinel Events

alternative 4 may have reduced reporting risk, OCT:114

falls a major cause of fatalities, SEP:105

JCAHO modifies sentinel event reporting option, SEP:105

suicides, med errors top list, JAN:10

Staffing

ANA head says overtime puts patients at risk, JUN:66

staffing risk management per bed size is difficult, JUN:65

Surgery

AORN says visitors OK with guidelines, AUG:90

insurer recommends active electrode monitoring, DEC:143

more study needed on reuse of disposables, AUG:94

surgeon sues device maker for patient death, AUG:93