Browse Hospital Publication Articles by Topic

Surge in Patients Leaving Against Medical Advice: Ethicist Involvement Needed

Hospitals are seeing a rise in patients leaving against medical advice (AMA), creating ethical challenges around autonomy, beneficence, and stigma. Ethicists can guide clinicians in assessing decision-making capacity, reducing bias, supporting continuity of care, and addressing systemic causes behind AMA discharges.

Plaintiff’s Expert Not Qualified in Facelift Malpractice Suit in Texas

A Texas appeals court has reversed a trial judge’s decision to let a facelift malpractice case proceed, ruling that the plaintiff’s chosen expert, a board-certified anesthesiologist, was not qualified to testify about the standard of care for a cosmetic surgeon or a surgery center. The decision underscores a critical point in medical malpractice litigation: that an expert’s qualifications must align with the type of care at issue. Simply holding a medical license or certification is not enough.

Texas Appeals Court Tosses Malpractice Case Over Defective Expert Report

A Texas appellate court has thrown out a surgical “foreign object” malpractice suit after concluding the plaintiff’s expert report failed to comply with the Texas Medical Liability Act. The Fourth Court of Appeals held that the plaintiff’s report did not implicate the specific physician alleged to be negligent and therefore amounted to “no report” as to that doctor. The court reversed the trial court’s order denying dismissal and remanded the case with instructions to dismiss the claims against the physician with prejudice and award fees and costs — as the statute requires.

DOJ Scrutinizing Physician-Hospital Arrangements

The Department of Justice is intensifying its scrutiny of physician-hospital arrangements, heightening the need for strict compliance with the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute, which safeguard patient care from financial influence.

Blockbuster Birth Injury Verdict Holds Lessons

A Utah hospital has been hit with a verdict of nearly $1 billion after a baby experienced birth injuries that will lead to lifelong disabilities. The case holds lessons for management of both obstetrics and malpractice litigation.

Social Media Posts Create Risk, Can Require Discipline

Recent events have shown the risks posed to healthcare employers by social media posts that inflame controversial issues or denigrate patients. Hospitals and health systems are well within their rights to take disciplinary action against employees who post offensive material on social media

$17.1M Awarded to Family of Deceased Infant

In a verdict underscoring both the effects of obstetrical malpractice and the breadth of damages Illinois juries may award in wrongful death cases, a Macon County jury has returned a $17.1 million judgment in favor of a family whose infant son died nine months after a traumatic delivery.

Washington Court Upholds $13M Malpractice Verdict Against Cosmetic Surgeon

A Washington appeals court has upheld a $13 million jury verdict against a plastic surgeon accused of botched cosmetic procedures and deceptive business practices, marking one of the state’s more notable malpractice rulings in recent years. The panel rejected the defense’s claims that improper evidence tainted the trial, instead finding that the outcome was supported by substantial evidence and that no reversible error occurred.

Know the Basics of Medical Malpractice Insurance

Professional liability insurance is a necessity in the healthcare field, but it often is not fully understood by those who need it the most.

Overuse of Travel Nurses Threatens Patient Safety

New research suggests that relying excessively on travel nurses or nurses working overtime may threaten patient safety. Researchers at the George Washington University and Premier health system looked at this issue, which has received little attention in the past.