The noncompliant patient, a patient who fails to follow physician instructions or to keep scheduled appointments, creates a number of problems for the practicing physician. The loss of revenue and time due to patients that miss appointments is evident. However,…
This is a hot topic in the news and among politicians in the state of Missouri. Many are aware of the Governor’s actions to move forward on a prescription drug monitoring program by executive order, even as the matter is…
The letter appears to be an innocuous business letter in a non-descript envelope. The text is usually passive in tone, asking you to respond to what is normally a one-page handwritten complaint by a disgruntled former patient. It would be…
Most physicians and other medical professionals have developed “their” way of doing things over the course of their careers, and changing those practices can be difficult. However, when it comes to operating a successful, and claims-free, medical practice, uniformity is…
If it isn’t written, it wasn’t done. Nowhere is this maxim more applicable than medical charting. However, these days documenting a visit in the usual SOAP format (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) may not be enough, as adroit plaintiffs’ attorneys…
Adverse events are bound to occur over the course of a physician’s career. If a procedure does not go as anticipated or your patient develops an unforeseen complication, you may not know how best to address the situation with the…
Contributed by Peter Spataro and Morgan Murphy, Brown & James, P.C. If your patient suffers complications and decides to file a lawsuit against you, your medical records will come under intense scrutiny. The saying goes, “hope for the best; prepare…
One of the challenges for doctors is handling a wide variety of personalities – some patients are entirely trusting while others second-guess everything. The interrelationship between physician and patient is certainly affected by the personalities of both. In some…
Many cases are won and lost on the issue of informed consent. The procedure may have gone well, or the outcome may be perfect. But, if the patient wasn’t aware of the risks, other treatment options, etc., (or can claim there was…
Communication is the Key: Take Small Steps to Avoid Big Problems
You have surely heard it several times: patients who believe they have a good relationship with their physician are considerably less likely to sue in the event of an adverse outcome. But a physician need not spend hours with each…
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