Articles Tagged With:
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Some Plaintiffs' ‘Experts’ Have Never Worked in ED
It’s never easy for an EP to listen to an expert witness testify that their care was negligent, but it’s harder to take coming from someone who hasn’t worked in an ED in many years — or ever.
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ECG Overload? EP Might Miss Subtle STEMI
It’s not uncommon for EPs to be presented with dozens of ECGs during a shift. The large number of ECGs performed at triage could lead to an unintended legal consequence: increasing the possibility of missed ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), especially those that are subtle or atypical presentations.
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Surprising New Data on Missed Acute Coronary Syndrome in EDs
Lack of “typical” symptoms cannot rule out acute coronary syndrome, and “atypical” symptoms should raise the EP’s index of suspicion, according to a recent review of the literature.
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Did ED Prescription Spark Opioid Addiction? Causation Tough to Prove
Plaintiff attorneys may try to link a patient’s addiction to an ED prescription, but linking causation to one specific EP is difficult. EPs can reduce legal risks by checking available registries to identify high-risk patients, posting clear guidelines on prescribing practices in ED waiting rooms, and using caution about referring screening to social workers or behavioral health specialists.
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ED Claims Involving High-dose Analgesics Carry Jury Appeal
Recent successful ED claims involving high-dose analgesics focused on failure to monitor patients and improper discharge. The malpractice lawsuits alleged that a patient was seriously injured because he or she was allowed to leave the ED while sedated, a patient went into respiratory arrest because of unsafe discharge, and the ED failed to monitor a patient adequately, resulting in the patient’s death.
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AAAHC’s Updated Standards Include ‘Elements of Compliance’
The AAAHC rewrote its standards to include elements of compliance. The 2018 Accreditation Handbook for Ambulatory Health Care contains revised standards that will be implemented in surveys starting March 1, 2018.
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Emergency Preparedness Standards in a World of Endless Disasters
Many ASC directors and staff were concerned about the federal emergency preparedness final rule after the new federal regulations were published in 2016. Then, events this year put disaster preparation into sharper focus.
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Life Safety Compliance Trends, Update, and Look Ahead
The federal Life Safety Code standards for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) will continue to evolve over the next few years. They are moving toward patient safety-centric policies and procedures, and it might not be long before the next big changes arrive.
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‘No One Likes Me’
Some employees are decision-makers who take their job seriously, seem trustworthy, are motivated, don’t mind sharing the load, and are perceived as working hard. Conversely, those who are not as popular or well liked are often viewed as manipulative, gossipers, conniving, rude, quiet, or possess other traits.
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Four Steps to Making ASCs More Efficient
Surgery centers increasingly are under regulatory scrutiny, and their industry is evolving quickly. One of the more predictable changes is the push for greater efficiency and cost-cutting.