ED Legal Letter articles from January 2008

ED Legal Letter archives from January 2008

Beware of Long QT Syndrome in the ED: How Long Will You Be Liable?
January 1, 2008... Beware of Long QT Syndrome in the ED: How Long Will You Be Liable? The legal concept of proximate cause and foreseeable consequences By Melanie Heniff, MD, FAAEM, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Department of...

Are curtained dividers a setup for a lawsuit?
January 1, 2008... Are curtained dividers a setup for a lawsuit? Curtained dividers are permissible under HIPAA, state laws vary Caring for patients with little privacy other than thin curtains in a crowded emergency department seems to fly in the face of...

Special Report: Between a Rock and a Hard Place: When Parents Refuse Treatment for their Children in the ED.
January 1, 2008... SPECIAL REPORT Between a Rock and a Hard Place: When Parents Refuse Treatment for their Children in the ED By William M. McDonnell, MD, JD, Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Adjunct Professor of Health Law,...

Unauthorized file access: How to avoid lawsuits.
January 1, 2008... Unauthorized file access: How to avoid lawsuits Implement safeguards to reduce risks Recently, over two dozen ED staff members at Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, NJ were suspended for "sneaking a peek" of the medical record...

When interviewing, "harmless" questions could get you sued.
January 1, 2008... When interviewing, "harmless" questions could get you sued Avoid remarks involving "protected categories" Whether you are interviewing emergency medicine physicians, mid-level providers, or technicians in your ED, certain questions or...

CNE/CME Questions.(continuing nursing education/continuing medical education)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... CNE/CME Questions 1. Which of the following is recommended to reduce risks if ED staff access a patient's medical records without authorization? A. Avoid any documentation of the incident. B. Do not speak to staff members...