In a nutshell, all the thought and research that California State University economics professor Shirley Svorny has put into the alleged pros and cons of medical malpractice ceilings can be encapsulated in this single sentence of an opinion piece she recently wrote: "Reducing liability, as caps do, is rarely a good idea in any situation."
Many vets seeking mental health care from VA waiting far too long
Some critics of the care that military veterans receive in VA hospitals -- including even clinicians who work inside those facilities -- are expressing concerns that veterans with mental health issues who are seeking therapy are waiting too long to get it. Does an excessive time lag between a vet's request for help and the actual onset of treatment constitute medical negligence?
Source of increasing malpractice risk: Failure to communicate
Defensive medicine -- that is, doctors ordering more tests and exams and subjecting to patients to more versus less medical treatment -- as a considered tool for reducing medical malpractice claims is, increasingly, turning out to be a misplaced notion.
Health group: Electronic health record systems need more controls
As we have noted in previous blog posts, the verdict is still out -- and decidedly so -- on the electronic health record (EHR) systems that are being strongly supported by the government and implemented with alacrity in medical facilities across the country.
UPMC and the Sweet death that wasn't very sweet
How EMRs can detract from a clear narrative, and facilitate spoliation and obfuscation of evidence; UPMC and the Sweet death that wasn't very sweet
Feds place UPMC transplant program on probation
Feds place UPMC transplant program on probation:
RI Senator: Rule out hospital negligence in massive Rx error
It would certainly be an understatement to say that the administrators and spokespersons of Lifespan, a five-hospital system in Rhode Island, were busier than usual earlier this month.
Study examines implant makers' payments to orthopedic surgeons
Is it an act of medical malpractice for an orthopedic surgeon to take money from a joint implant manufacturer in return for using that company's products over those of a competitor without first considering whether patients are best served by that decision?
Study: Instructions for reducing pediatric ICU blood infections
One clear act of medical malpractice in a hospital setting is, of course, the negligent treatment of an existing infection.
Patients: The hospital you choose can be a life-or-death decision
The title of a recent study by HealthGrades that focuses on patient care and hospital negligence is a real mouthful, to be sure: The 2011 Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America Report.
Dual standards for pulmonary disease diagnosis can lead to errors
The subject matter was very clear and the related warning dire at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) in Honolulu recently: Dual standards for evaluating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are leading to misdiagnosis and improper treatment for many patients.
