ED Legal Letter – February 1, 2008
February 1, 2008
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Check-off Charting: Boon or Bust?
There are, of course, a number of chart documentation methods and the goals of the various methods are all the same: 1) to memorialize the patient encounter for future reference by other caregivers; 2) to provide information for billing purposes; and 3) to create a legal document that allows quality review whether in the medical setting or in the courtroom. -
Are recent big ED verdicts the wave of the future?
Large ED verdicts, all from 2007, may seem to be bellwether cases that portend a change in jury opinions. On the other hand, a recent report says that ED claims have decreased, with claims per 100,000 visits dropping to 3.4 in 2006, down from 5.8 in 2001. -
Know legal risks when consulting on-call specialists
Do you believe that once your patient is evaluated by an on-call consultant in your ED, you are abdicated from any future liability? "ED physicians frequently believe this, but this is absolutely not true," says James Hubler, MD, JD, assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. -
Lawsuits, complications lower for febrile children
The introduction of vaccines that prevent bacteremia has significantly reduced the risk of serious bacterial infections associated with Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. How does this impact liability risks when caring for febrile children? -
Older, controversial guidelines still play role in lawsuits
Guidelines for the management of febrile children dating back to 1993 have complicated liability risks for EDs since they were published, and continue to play a role in ED medical malpractice litigation, says Jim Wilde, MD, director of pediatric emergency medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, who also is fellowship-trained in pediatric infectious diseases.