Healthcare Risk Management – April 1, 2005
April 1, 2005
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Preventing falls among elderly patients means a focus on their special needs
How often have you walked into a patient care area and been blasted by an array of television sets with the volume cranked up to 11? How about the lovely shade of beige wall paint that flows seamlessly into the lovely shade of beige floor tile? For your elderly patients who already are dealing with a number of physical and mental challenges, these are more than just annoyances. They can be real dangers, contributing to the already high likelihood of falls. -
Colors, noise level key to reducing falls in the elderly
That armchair in the common area might be more than just ugly. It might actually be contributing to falls if your elderly patients look at it and get dizzy from the pattern. -
To prevent falls, know your elderly patients
Elderly patients pose special challenges when it comes to falls, so your prevention strategy must take into account the factors unique to this population. This summary is offered by a professor of physical therapy at Temple University in Philadelphia. -
7 steps to take for a claims management strategy
Open discussion of medical errors and other liability issues actually can help drive claims down, not up, as many risk managers fear, says the president of Enhanced Claim and Risk Services in St. Louis. -
JCAHO calls for reform of liability system
JCAHO has issued a call to reform the nations medical liability system, urging the current proposal for caps on noneconomic damages be expanded to pursue intermediate and long-term system changes which its experts say truly facilitate improvements in patient safety. -
Microchip promises to reduce wrong-site errors
The FDA recently approved a new device that the manufacturer says could dramatically reduce the incidence of wrong-site surgery by applying a microchip with detailed patient information directly to the planned operative site. -
Med-mal awards rise some but are starting to level off
Jury awards for medical-malpractice claims rose fractionally in recent months while awards for all personal-injury liabilities fell significantly, according to a report from Jury Verdict Research in Horsham, PA. -
Study: Medication errors often occur at admission
A medication use history is an integral part of the hospital admission process, but errors in the history may result in failure to detect drug-related problems or lead to interrupted or inappropriate drug therapy during hospitalization, according to background information in the article. -
JCAHO alters goal about standard abbreviations
JCAHO recently altered the 2005 requirements for meeting National Patient Safety Goal 2b that requires organizations to standardize abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols used throughout the organization, including a list of abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols not to use. -
Reader Question: Check before offering to subsidize docs’ insurance
Can a hospital subsidize physicians medical liability insurance without facing prosecution under the portion of the Social Security Act that addresses kickbacks? -
Legal Review & Commentary: Untreated subdural hematoma leads to brain damage: $1.9 million verdict against hospital
An elderly gentleman with a history of fainting presented to a hospital emergency department was admitted for observation and testing then discharged without a conclusive diagnosis or treatment plan. -
Legal Review & Commentary: Medication error results in $120,000 California award
A patient received quinine sulfate when she should have gotten quinidine sulfate. The medication error resulted in her experiencing a multitude of medical aliments. She brought action against the provider who dispersed the wrong medication and was awarded $120,000 through a mandatory arbitration process.