Healthcare Update — 04-23-2013

More HealthCare Updates from around the web are at my new digs at www.drwhitecoat.com. Diagnostic errors account for most paid claims in medical malpractice cases. Errors in diagnosis were the most common type of claim and also amounted to the highest proportion of total payments. The total inflation-adjusted amount of diagnosis-related payouts was $38.8 billion over 25 years. Remember, these statistics represent just the payouts. On average, two of three medical malpractice lawsuits end in no payment to the plaintiff. And we still wonder why doctors do so many “unnecessary” diagnostic tests? Missing bamblance. University of Virginia is on the lookout for a stolen ambulance after the driver left the ambulance unlocked with the engine running. Another missing bamblance. This one was from University of Alabama Birmingham ED ramp. The ambulance company executive said that it “wasn’t clear how or why someone took the vehicle.” How – The driver obviously left the keys in it. I agree with him on the “why” part. Ex-boyfriend kidnaps patient from hospital room. Waited until she was called back to the treatment area from the waiting room, then stuck a gun in her ribs and made her leave. I can’t make this stuff up. Another application of federal EMTALA law. Everyone coming to the emergency department must be evaluated and treated – even if they just bombed the Boston Marathon. Cases like this come up every once in a while and it is very difficult fo...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs