Practice-based Learning & Improvement

Ophthalmology Risk: Retinal Tears

Reviewing medical professional liability claims in their specialty can help ophthalmologists to improve patient safety and reduce liability risks. Although improper performance of a procedure is the top allegation for ophthalmology claims, ophthalmologists are often named in cases involving diagnostic…

Diagnostic Safety, Part 3: The Patient’s Story

Diagnostic errors are among the top allegations in US medical malpractice claims. While it’s impossible to eliminate all errors, there are some actions that can reduce the risks of diagnostic mistakes. One such action is to focus on each patient’s…

Uterine Tachysystole, Part 1: Guidelines & Identification

One in three pregnant patients run the risk of experiencing uterine tachysystole (UT) during labor augmentation or induction with oxytocin. Reducing UT diagnosis-to-treatment time can avert adverse patient outcomes and decrease the risk of an obstetric malpractice claim. This two-part…

Diagnostic Safety, Part 2: Impediments to Diagnostic Reasoning

Researchers have identified more than 100 biases that can interfere with diagnostic reasoning. These biases can sway practitioners’ thinking during both intuitive and deliberative cognitive processes. This activity discusses biases and offers strategies to reduce their detrimental impacts.

OP Malpresentation: A Precarious Situation

Fetal malpresentation is defined as a fetus presenting at birth in a non-vertex presentation as either occiput transverse (OT) or occiput posterior (OP). This condition occurs 15% to 25% at term and 5% to 12% at birth, frequently increases risk…

ECHO Autism: Intense Behavior

ECHO Autism: Intense Behavior aims to increase access to best-practice assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals on the autism spectrum with intense behavior such as severe emotional dysregulation, self-injurious behaviors, and physical aggression towards others. A variety of research studies…

EFM Case Study #19 & #20: The Influence of SUD on EFM

When a pregnant patient misuses or becomes dependent on any addictive substance during pregnancy, two people are exposed: the pregnant patient, and the fetus/newborn. It is estimated that approximately 5% to 7% of pregnant persons use addictive substances. Among these,…

Substance Use Disorder in Postpartum Patients

Postpartum is a stressful time for this high-risk population as relapse rates are high and pain tolerance is low. Special considerations should be given to pain control, sedation risk, breastfeeding, contraception, and safe transition of the newborn to extrauterine life….

Substance Use Disorder in Pregnancy, Part 2

In the US, drug and opioid overdose deaths have nearly quadrupled over the last decade. Synthetic opioid-related deaths increased 850% in women. Nearly 85% of pregnancies in women with opioid use disorder are unintended. During pregnancy, chronic untreated substance and…

Substance Use Disorder in Pregnancy, Part 1

In the US, drug and opioid overdose deaths have nearly quadrupled over the last decade. Synthetic opioid-related deaths increased 850% in women. Nearly 85% of pregnancies in women with substance use disorder (SUD) are unintended. During pregnancy, chronic untreated substance…