Emergency Department Malpractice Claims Analyzed in New Coverys Report
Coverys, a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance, released its latest Dose of Insight report, providing a data-driven look at the state of emergency care in
Every year in
"The steps that will be taken by the patient long after the patient is transitioned to another department in the hospital, transferred to another facility, or discharged from the ED are impacted by the visit to the ED," said
The report identifies root causes of claims occurring in the ED. The authors provide data-driven recommendations for reducing risk and improving outcomes related to the emergency department episode of care – including new processes, practices, communication, and training.
Key findings from the report include:
- To reduce diagnostic risks in the emergency department, practitioners should focus on three key areas:
- History and physical examination.
- The diagnostic decision-making process.
- Ensuring that the patient evaluation is ongoing throughout the ED episode of care.
- Implementing a formal medication management and safety program specific to the ED as 49% of all medication-related allegations involved antibiotics, opioids, and anticoagulants.
- A key recommendation to mitigate diagnostic risk between history and physical evaluation of a patient is to implement clinical decision support tools, such as practice guidelines for high-risk presentations. Practitioners and staff should work to enhance communication handoffs at all transitions of care based on policy.
- To lessen the risk of permanent or grave injury and/or death, it is recommended practitioners ensure patient evaluations are ongoing throughout the ED episode of care, communicating clearly and efficiently between lab and radiology professionals, ordering physicians, and other providers.
"Claims data should serve as signals for greater vigilance for all who contribute to the complex patient care ecosystem in the ED," said
This is the fourth report in Coverys' Dose of Insight series, which has previously explored medication error, diagnostic accuracy, and obstetrics. The report, co-authored by
About Coverys
Coverys is a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance for medical practitioners and health systems. Coverys provides a full range of healthcare liability insurance options, advanced risk analytics, and best-in-class risk mitigation and education resources to help clients anticipate, identify, and manage risk to reduce errors and improve outcomes.
Read the full story at https://www.prweb.com/releases/emergency_department_malpractice_claims_analyzed_in_new_coverys_report/prweb16400583.htm
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