Healthcare Risk Management articles from October 2003

Healthcare Risk Management archives from October 2003

Final EMTALA rule lessens risk, yet getting docs on-call still a problem: it also takes a new look at the 250-yard rule.(Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985)
October 1, 2003... There is much for risk managers to rejoice about in the final rule of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), with many of the most vexing parts of the law either clarified or eliminated altogether. But there still is...

Audio conference clarifies final EMTALA regulations.(Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985)
October 1, 2003... The final version of the recently proposed changes to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) takes effect Nov. 10. To provide you with critical information on the updated regulations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...

Visit HRM, ED Legal Letter site.(Hospital Risk Management)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... We now offer free on-line access to www.hrm newsletter.com for Hospital Risk Management subscribers. The site features current and back issues of HRM and ED Legal Letter, also from Thomson American Health Consultants. Included on the site...

Quick guide to specifics of the final EMTALA rule.(Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985)
October 1, 2003... These highlights of the final EMTALA rule were summarized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): * The new rule changes the definition of emergency department to mean any department or facility of the hospital, whether...

Blackout shows need for generator maintenance.
October 1, 2003... When a blackout struck the northeastern United States recently, some hospitals encountered difficulties that offer a lesson for risk managers about issues that may be overlooked during your typical emergency planning sessions. The big...

Pain cases settled: nursing home fined.(Bayberry Care Center)
October 1, 2003... In a case watched closely as a harbinger of what can happen when a health care provider under-treats pain, two doctors and two health care facilities reached settlements just before the case was scheduled for trial. The results of the case...

Ask for possible discounts on your liability insurance.(Reader Questions)
October 1, 2003... Question: How can we be sure we're getting all the discounts and credits that we're entitled to on our liability insurance? Do I have to go looking for them or can I trust the insurer to offer everything that applies? Answer: You have to...

GAO: claim losses lead to rate increases.(General Accounting Office)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The federal General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report recently citing insurance claim losses as the main culprit for nationwide increases of medical malpractice premiums, contradicting what many insurers have said. Malpractice...

Florida predicts savings from liability reform.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... After six months of negotiations and several special sessions, the Florida Legislature has approved a bill aimed at alleviating the state's medical liability crisis. The bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 32-4 and the House 87-26, caps...

CE questions.
October 1, 2003... For more information about the CE program, contact customer service at (800) 688-2421. 13. According to the final EMTALA rule, which of the following satellite services is most likely to meet the requirements for complying with EMTALA? ...

Hospital safety initiative targets behavioral health unit: falls committee takes careful look at geropsych issues.(Overlook Hospital, Summit, New Jersey)
October 1, 2003... The behavioral health department may not be the first place you would look to launch a patient safety initiative, but the team at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ, is expecting just such an undertaking to yield big dividends. Two years ago,...

Study shows safety risks for children, value of tool: algorithms target processes with patient safety.
October 1, 2003... A new study of 3.8 million discharge records for children indicates that these younger patients experienced substantial numbers of potentially preventable patient safety problems during hospital stays in 1997. This is the first...

HHS, hospital associations team up for patient safety.(Department of Health and Human Services)
October 1, 2003... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA), has announced a campaign to help distribute valuable information about improving...

Failure of a timely diagnosis leads to cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and a $55.6 million verdict.
October 1, 2003... News: A minor complaining of fever and wheezing was admitted to a hospital. After going to two other hospitals for the same symptoms and being discharged each time over a three-day period, the plaintiff arrested while en route to further care....

Baby's delay leads to $19 million settlement.
October 1, 2003... News: One summer morning, a pregnant woman was admitted to a hospital with irregular contractions. The hospital nursing staff initiated a fetal heart monitor; and by midafternoon, the fetus's heart rate was decelerating. However, when an...