Mergers and Acquisitions Activity Creates Safety, Liability Risks for Hospitals

Mergers and acquisitions can create patient safety risks as disparate cultures merge and clinicians face new working conditions.

Consciousness Guidelines Affect Continuation of Care

New guidelines on how to determine consciousness could affect how healthcare organizations address legal questions regarding intensity of care, discontinuation of care, and end-of-life decisions.

Malpractice Nursing Claims Rise With Experience

Data on malpractice claims involving nurses indicate a somewhat surprising trend: The more experienced a nurse is, the more likely he or she is to have malpractice claims.

Stark Law Could Be Eased, but Compliance Still Difficult

Efforts to move away from the fee-for-service model may lead to changes in the Stark anti-kickback law. Expect more exceptions and exclusions that will in some ways make the law less onerous but no less difficult when ensuring compliance.

Hospitals Face ADA Lawsuits Over Websites

Healthcare facilities are being sued by plaintiffs who allege that facility websites are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Key Components of a Drug Diversion Program

Although drug diversion may be considered a rare event, investigations reveal that the practice could be going undetected in facilities that do not have a proactive prevention program.