Risk Management News and Education

To describe homelessness as a “complicating factor” in healthcare is a gross understatement; the homeless die nearly three decades earlier than the general population and their health challenges are innumerable.ⁱ Addiction, mental illness, malnutrition, exposure to a host of infectious diseases related to overcrowding, poor hygiene, a lack of sanitation and IV drug use as well as the threat of violence, routinely undermine the health and wellbeing of this population.  For the homeless, healthcare access is at best-episodic and is often driven by the need for urgent treatment.

Even as the Medical Board of California continues to examine the drug-prescription practices of physicians, the Board often has to convince a court of its right to examine patient records. The key element in whether the courts will permit an MBC request for patient records is whether the Board adequately demonstrates “good cause” for piercing a patient’s privacy. 

In a recent release, the California Labor Commissioner's Office reminded employers they must maintain valid workers' compensation insurance coverage for all workers, including part-time employees.

 It’s no secret that healthcare workers are at an increased risk for needle stick or sharps injuries, especially nursing staff, doctors, and lab workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 needle stick injuries occur each year, many going unreported.

California law provides that any adult patient and any minor patient authorized by law to consent to medical treatment, is entitled to inspect and request a copy of their medical record upon written request to the healthcare provider and payment of reasonable costs to make the record available.  (California Health and Safety Code Section 123110)

Medical malpractice lawsuits are no longer based solely on medical errors or missed treatments. Many of these cases are becoming more about the experience of the patient: how he or she feels, and whether he or she felt they were treated fairly or felt mistreated. Here are some tips to mitigate risk and strengthen the patient experience.

To pursue a lawsuit for medical malpractice, it is not enough for a plaintiff to demonstrate that a defendant did not meet the standard of care in treating a patient and that a patient suffered a  harm. A crucial component must bridge the two — the professional breach must have caused the harm.

Medication administration is commonly the responsibility of medical assistants (MAs) in many California medical offices and clinic settings. While MAs play a vital role in carrying out a variety of routine tasks that keep your office running smoothly, they may also represent an underappreciated source of risk for your practice.

Notwithstanding the usual suspects that hinder electronic medical record implementation — initial costs, interoperability problems, training burdens, and altered physician-patient dynamics — there’s also the risk of a pure system malfunction. In a malpractice suit after an admitted malfunction, a physician’s actions will still be scrutinized.

You may have already read about CAPAdvantage, our suite of no-cost and discounted practice management programs. Leveraging the buying power of your 12,000 member-strong cooperative, all programs are administered by highly reputable, CAP-vetted vendors. But can these programs really save your practice time, money, and aggravation?