December 01, 2024, South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
The Rising Threat of Nuclear Verdicts in Medical Malpractice: A Call for Tort Reform
Dr. Patricia Ares-Romero discusses the increasing trend of "nuclear verdicts"—jury awards exceeding $10 million—in medical malpractice cases. She highlights insights from Bob White, President of The Doctors Company and TDC Group, noting that from 2013 to 2023, these verdicts surged by 67%, with the average award among the top 50 malpractice verdicts rising from $32 million in 2022 to $48 million in 2023.
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Interventional Radiology Wrong-Site Procedure: Case Review
This case review explores factors contributing to a wrong-site procedure and highlights strategies that can help practitioners mitigate risk and increase safety.
Dec 15, 2022
The Clinician Voice Post-Roe: Speaking Up for Standards of Care
The spillover effects of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, mean that many clinicians face uncertainty regarding which treatment practices are still legal in their state. Accordingly, they may be unsure how to communicate with patients, or uncertain regarding their role in their institution’s planning conversations.
Jun 05, 2023
Building a Culture of Safety in Healthcare, Part Four: Just Culture
In the final installment of his series on safety culture, Dr. David Feldman describes how a just culture promotes both patient safety and professional satisfaction.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Effective Obstetrical Team Communication
Effective communication requires a team effort for the exchange of concise and relevant information.
The Doctors Company Offers Educational Video Series: “Financial and Workplace Well-Being for Doctors: Lessons for Life After Medical School”
The Doctors Company, the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer and part of TDC Group, announced today a new lecture series, “Financial and Workplace Well-Being for Doctors: Lessons for Life After Medical School,” from Ronald H. Wender, MD, FACA, Chairman Emeritus and Professor of Anesthesiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and member of The Doctors Company Board of Governors.
How Healthcare’s Transformation Affects Physicians and Patients
Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company, discusses some of the most pressing issues facing providers today, including rising healthcare spending and hospital mergers.
Professional Education
Loss Lessons: Practicing Out of Bounds
Unlicensed staff are vital to efficient patient flow in medical practice. Healthcare organizations have many tasks that are safely and effectively carried out by skilled unlicensed support staff every day. To reach such efficiencies with safety and reliability, careful attention must be given to scope of practice and state and local statutes regarding delegation and supervision. Policies and protocols that outline the scope of practice for unlicensed staff to follow independently, and when they must consult with licensed staff, help even the most talented of your staff understand their boundaries. This case illustrates how informal verbal guidelines can blur the lines and cause well-meaning staff to cross the boundary lines of their scope leading to misdiagnosis and death.
Dec 13, 2022
Increased Risks of Delayed Care Post-Roe: Clinician Perspectives
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, rapid changes in hospital protocols have at times amplified confusion over what is legally allowed when responding to ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or other obstetric complications. Clinicians in some states may feel pinned between their obligation to care for the patient and their obligation not to break the law.
Chairman's Library
Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company, is the author of a number of peer-reviewed publications on medical malpractice and the impact of defensive medicine.
