From the wrong prescription to the wrong diagnosis, medical mistakes kill nearly 100,000 Americans every year. It also results in injuries, increased medical bills, and longer recovery times.
Physicians and surgeons seek to avoid getting into a lawsuit, but what is the appropriate recourse if this does happen? Apart from financial burden, a malpractice lawsuit can strike a blow to your self-confidence.
Medical professionals always face the risk of making mistakes, and the best thing they may do is to learn what to do to avoid medical errors and to prevent malpractice.
Get the right protection
Many physicians have car and home insurances yet most of them fail to protect of their most precious assets: their medical career. Whether you are a surgeon in a small town or a family doctor with advanced degrees, having medical malpractice insurance may protect your career. It’s not true that getting a personal insurance will make you a target for lawsuits. Make your insurance coverage guard your reputation.
Communicate properly
One of the most common medical error is caused by poor doctor and patient communication. With many physical tests and labs, sometimes you will not remember every test your patient had. If you are not communicating with the patient, that may lead to a misunderstanding and a lawsuit.
Document all patient information
Apart from discussing with your patients, be sure to communicate with nurses. Always advise the nurses for consistent, accurate, and complete documentation. This can be your best witness in a lawsuit, make sure that the staff documents all aspects of patient care in a timely and consistent manner, as it’s the key to proving that you provide quality care.
Medical mistakes are often a result of bad systems. By eliminating common errors, you can protect yourself from lawsuits, which should protect your patients as well.