Healthcare Risk Management – July 1, 2025

How You Respond to Lawsuit Notices Makes the Difference

Receiving notice of a lawsuit can ruin any risk manager’s day, but how you respond can dictate the ultimate outcome. The best approach is to have a plan in place and execute it carefully once you receive the news.

Executive Protection May Need Review After CEO Killing

The shooting of Brian Thompson in December 2024 has brought attention to the security needs of healthcare executives, with some in the industry suggesting that organizations should devote resources to increased protection.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Underused in Most Hospitals

Hospitals have been slow to make use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) agreements to avoid litigation and bring about more satisfactory conclusions to claims.

Trial Court’s ‘Confusing’ Instruction Did Not Doom Verdict, Appeals Court Says

A Georgia appellate court has reinstated a defense verdict in a closely watched medical malpractice case arising from complications following a total knee replacement. The case centered on a plaintiff who alleged that a surgeon failed to promptly diagnose and treat a postoperative infection in his left knee.

Georgia Supreme Court Revives Vicarious Liability Claim

The Georgia Supreme Court has revived a vicarious liability claim in a medical malpractice lawsuit that raises important questions about the role of medical students and the legal responsibility of supervising physicians. The case stems from a surgical injury that occurred during a 2019 hysterectomy, in which a medical student under the supervision of two attending physicians allegedly caused harm by misplacing a surgical instrument.