Medical Knowledge

Medi-Spas: Managing Physician Risk

When medi-spas first appeared, spurred by advances in laser technology, they were largely unregulated. Now, many states are requiring medi-spas to be associated with a physician as an owner, supervisor or contractor. Offers are being made, and physicians of many…

Nursing Home Patients: Managing the Risks of Long Term Care

Nursing home patients today are older, sicker, and more frail than ever before. Multiple chronic conditions, reduced mobility, and cognition put them at risk for polypharmacy, falls, malnutrition, and pressure ulcers. Primary care physicians not based in the nursing home…

Retinal Tears: Risk Issues in General Ophthalmology

Conditions of the retina including retinal tears are the conditions most commonly associated with medical malpractice claims against general ophthalmologists. This monograph will provide an overview of ophthalmology claims, a closed claim analysis of a case of retinal detachment, the…

Cardiothoracic Surgery Risk and Claims

The number of cardiothoracic (CT) surgeons is declining, and there is a projected shortage by 2035. At the same time, CT surgery continues to be a high-risk specialty for those practicing it. This activity looks at trends in CT surgery…

Risk and Claims in Plastic Surgery II: Patient Selection

Patient selection is an important issue, especially in cosmetic plastic surgery. Sound patient selection criteria and screening measures can help reduce the risk of claims related to unexpected outcomes and patient dissatisfaction. This monograph focuses on several special risk issues…

Plastic Surgery: Risk and Claims I

Risk in the field of plastic surgery has increased as the number of procedures has risen over the past few decades. Further complicating the field of plastic surgery is the volume of procedures that are done in ambulatory surgery centers…

Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Standard of Care

Twenty years ago, the AMA noted an alarming trend by physicians and hospitals: they were treating the terms “standard of care” and “clinical practice guidelines” virtually interchangeably, a trend that has only increased over time. In a video interview, cardiologist…

Email Between Physician and Patient

Communicating with patients by e-mail is rapidly becoming a part of many physicians’ medical practice. It ranks high in patient satisfaction, and at least one study found it to be associated with better patient compliance and better control of chronic…

Lung Cancer Screening Education: From Science to Practice

Lung Cancer Screening Education: From Science to Practice instructs learners on how to implement a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary lung cancer screening program. This interactive eLearning activity demonstrates how to perform shared decision making using a patient-centered approach, how to implement screening…