Healthcare Risk Management articles from December 2007

Healthcare Risk Management archives from December 2007

George Clooney's medical records prove irresistible to prying eyes.
December 1, 2007... George Clooney's medical records prove irresistible to prying eyes Privacy lapse shows common weaknesses in security, training Ensuring the privacy of patients and the security of their medical records is fairly well accepted by staff,...

Background on the Clooney medical records breach.
December 1, 2007... Background on the Clooney medical records breach This is the background to the medical records breach that led to suspension without pay of 27 employees at Palisades Medical Center in Bergen, NJ: Actor George Clooney and his companion...

Clooney case shows need for training.
December 1, 2007... Clooney case shows need for training The privacy breach with George Clooney's medical records indicates the staff of Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, NJ, did not truly understand the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability...

Phone calls during surgery can be risky.
December 1, 2007... Phone calls during surgery can be risky Suppose you were reviewing a new malpractice claim and a nurse told you that the surgeon happened to be on the phone when the patient made a mistake that injured the patient. Surely the surgeon was...

Outsiders may know of phone use in OR.(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Outsiders may know of phone use in OR In many cases, inappropriate phone calls are more obvious to people other than the patient or the risk manager. For instance, Bonnie Russell, owner of 1st-Pick.com, a public relations agency in Del Mar,...

Crew management yields good results.
December 1, 2007... Crew management yields good results Crew resource management has been the key improvement that led to the significant improvements in patient safety in the obstetrics unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston. The...

Baby's death prompts changes in OB unit.
December 1, 2007... Baby's death prompts changes in OB unit The major improvements in patient safety in the obstetrics unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston were prompted by a series of tragic errors that led to a stillbirth in 2000....

Hospital claims fall, thanks to OB, ED efforts.
December 1, 2007... Hospital claims fall, thanks to OB, ED efforts Risk managers are doing something right in the emergency department and obstetrical units, according to new data showing the frequency and severity of hospital claims are at new lows. The...

Feds asks Mississippi court to clarify med-mal limits.
December 1, 2007... Feds asks Mississippi court to clarify med-mal limits Statutes of limitations can be key in determining whether some malpractice cases move forward or are dead in the water, so a federal appeals panel has asked the Mississippi Supreme Court...

Legal Review & Commentary: Woman suffers bruising on arms after alleged abuse by nursing home director - $825,000 settlement.
December 1, 2007... Legal Review & Commentary Woman suffers bruising on arms after alleged abuse by nursing home director u $825,000 settlement By Jon T. Gatto, Esq., Blake J. Delaney, Esq., Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Tampa, FL News: An elderly...

CE Objectives/CNE Questions.
December 1, 2007... CE Objectives After reading this issue of Healthcare Risk Management, the CE participant should be able to: * Describe legal, clinical, financial, and managerial issues pertinent to risk management in health care. * Explain how...