Why patient follow-up makes good legal sense
When you suspect that a patient has breast cancer, ACOG guidelines place a duty on you to discuss testing and treatment options such as mammography, biopsy, or surgery. It might seem obvious, but it's also a good idea to follow up on your patients' testing and treatments; doing so can help reduce the likelihood that a patient will win a failure-to-diagnose claim against you. To ensure that patients receive appropriate follow-up, and to minimize legal risk, ACOG Today (May/June 2004) recommends the following:
- Refer patients to physicians you know or recommend.
- Advise patients to contact you for additional referrals if they are unable to see one of the referred physicians.
- Make sure your patients understand the importance of going for follow-up tests.
- Follow-up on your patients' test results and discuss the results with them.
- Contact patients who do not comply with prescribed actions to find out why.
- Document attempts to contact patients in the medical record.
Key biomarkers for predicting congenital cytomegalovirus
December 26th 2024A new study highlights the prognostic value of thrombocytes, β2-microglobulin, and cytomegalovirus viral load in assessing congenital cytomegalovirus infection, offering insights for improved prenatal counseling.
Read More
EHR-based models show promise in predicting postpartum depression
December 24th 2024Recent research published highlights the potential of electronic health record data to improve postpartum depression diagnosis, offering a step toward better mental health outcomes for birthing parents.
Read More
