Hospitals and health systems must be dedicated to improving the quality of care provided. Knowledge of the foundational principles of quality improvement is necessary for all healthcare providers. This activity outlines basic principles of quality improvement including how to write…
Ambulatory surgery is growing in popularity among physicians and patients. While it can be convenient and less expensive, ambulatory surgery also has risks. The risks oblige all those involved with ambulatory surgeries to make effective decisions about what procedures to…
This activity discusses ways systems factors (flaws or weaknesses in organizational systems of care) can sabotage correct diagnoses. Think about a primary care practice with no specific policy for checking if patients actually go to recommended tests and consults, which…
In medicine, the formulation of a differential diagnosis is fundamental to the diagnostic reasoning process. It is less likely to find documentation of a differential diagnosis in cases that have diagnostic errors. This activity presents strategies to fortify the differential…
It is Monday morning, and you’ve been invited to participate in the infection prevention rounds in your ambulatory surgical center. This activity will take you on rounds through the OR, sterile processing area, pharmacy, and a construction site to identify…
The emergence of AI in healthcare, initially signaled in the 1970s with innovative AI diagnostic tools, has gained renewed momentum due to recent breakthroughs in generative AI. This revitalization has brought to the forefront both the immense possibilities and the…
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…
An adverse surgical event led to a professional liability claim against the primary care physician, referring ophthalmologist, retinal specialist, anesthesiologist, surgery center nurse, and the surgery center. Using an event chronology, this monograph traces the errors and contributing factors as…
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…
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…
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