Articles Tagged With: COVID-19
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The ‘Heart-Wrenching’ Toll of COVID-19 on Nursing Homes
The combination of a highly infectious virus and a frail resident population in a closed environment — where infection control has been historically difficult to implement — has resulted in devastating outbreaks of COVID-19 in U.S. nursing homes.
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Special Commission to Address U.S. Nursing Home Safety, Quality
CMS establishes independent panel after a wave of COVID-19-related deaths were reported in these care facilities.
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Shipments of Remdesivir Begin Arriving at U.S. Hospitals
HHS requests facilities submit weekly data to facilitate distribution of the COVID-19 therapeutic.
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Restricting Access to Abortion Increases Complications
Restrictive abortion laws increase the chance that a woman will self-manage her abortion, a practice associated with an increased risk of complications.
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COVID-19 and Pregnancy: What Obstetricians Need to Know
While data remain limited on this particular coronavirus, extrapolation from other viruses (severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome), and best clinical observations and expert recommendations have led to current guidelines in care.
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Liability Protection Not Absolute for ED Volunteers
Volunteer emergency department providers should verify their malpractice insurance covers voluntary service. Hospitals should check that volunteer providers are covered under the hospital’s malpractice insurance. Additionally, leaders should look to relevant state law to determine the extent of liability protections related to volunteers.
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Psychiatric Patients Pose Unique Legal Risks During Pandemic
If an emergency department is packed with respiratory patients, psychiatric patients could end up boarded for hours or days. This is not good for patients, and creates liability exposure.
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Delayed Care, Misdiagnoses Still Happening, Regardless of COVID-19 Surges
Just because there are surges of respiratory patients in the emergency department does not mean there are any fewer stroke, heart attack, or septic patients. There will not be fewer lawsuits, either, if any of these patients receive delayed care or are misdiagnosed.
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No ICU Bed? ED Patients ‘Fall into Black Hole’
In terms of malpractice, the main question is going to be: Did the emergency department (ED) patient receive treatment as fast as he or she should have, given the relevant circumstances? EDs in known COVID-19 hotspots with long waits for intensive care unit beds probably will be treated somewhat differently than smaller community EDs, where it was mostly business as usual.
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Enforcement Action Likely if Hospital Retaliates Against ED Staff
Some emergency department doctors and nurses allege they were disciplined or fired after complaining about inadequate personal protective equipment, or for refusing to treat COVID-19 patients without N95 masks.