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When defense attorney James J. Nosich, JD, of McGrane Nosich in Coral Gables, FL, was faced with a seemingly unwinnable case of a quadruple amputee alleging failure to diagnose, he didn't hold out much hope of his client being found not liable. But he vowed to fight, and the defense strategy began with the jury selection, trying to select jurors who could put sympathy aside and concentrate on the facts of the case.
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A child presents at a hospital emergency department (ED) complaining of a fever and rash. A physician's assistant employed by the hospital examined the child and described the rash in the child's chart. The child was discharged with instruction to see a pediatrician but with no guidance as to how to manage the fever. The child's symptoms became worse, and the child was eventually diagnosed with staph sepsis.
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Any facility subject to water intrusions from flooding, faulty HVAC systems, or any source of water into the building envelope should have a written mold management plan, says Suzanne M. Avena, JD, an attorney with Garfunkel Wild in Great Neck, NY, specializing in environmental law.
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Risk managers take some solace in knowing that not every allegation of malpractice will fall on the hospital, that sometimes the individual physician or physician group will be responsible for defending the claim. But there is cause for concern with a recent court ruling that could increase the chance of the hospital being held responsible under the "apparent authority" concept.
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Cost considerations may stymie an effort to make sure that all hospital employees are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).
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Influenza virus particles remain suspended in the air, which suggests that the virus may be transmitted by an airborne route.
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A cardiothoracic surgeon in Israel specializing in open-heart procedures was found to be HIV-positive in January 2007 during evaluation for fever of recent onset, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
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If your hospital administrators think that outsourcing employee health would be cheaper than paying your salary (plus that of a few others), show them the numbers. An in-house program is a much better value than paying the marked-up cost of consultants.
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Should you spend the money for ...?
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There's a reason the night shift is dubbed "the graveyard shift." Working overnight has been linked to a greater risk of cancer, heart disease, depression, and automobile accidents. That is why Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City, NC, has focused wellness efforts on this often-forgotten group of employees.
