Errors in diagnosis are a serious concern in healthcare from a patient safety perspective as well as a medical liability standpoint. MedPro closed claims data show that allegations related to diagnostic errors are prevalent across specialties and healthcare locations. Closed claims data also show that clinical judgment is a major risk factor in diagnosis-related allegations.
Read moreElectronic health records (EHRs) have transformed the ways in which healthcare providers work and communicate. These systems have been both extolled and criticized over the past decade as their use in hospitals, healthcare practices, and other healthcare facilities has skyrocketed.
Read moreWell-designed office systems are critical to the provision of safe, high-quality patient care. This case study from an OB/GYN practice in the Midwest illustrates how system failures can be detrimental to a patient's health.
Read moreThe use of mobile phones and other wireless technology in patient care — termed "mHealth" — is a significant trend in the healthcare industry. Older technology, such as pagers, is slow compared to devices today; thus, many healthcare providers and staff members find that text messaging provides quick access to the information they need to make healthcare decisions.
Read moreIn the current healthcare technology landscape — which includes robotics, telehealth, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and more — password security might seem like a mundane topic. Clinicians and other healthcare workers have used passwords for years to log in to various organizational systems, and these actions have likely become second nature. In recent years, however, cyberattacks and data breaches have heightened security concerns for healthcare organizations, emphasizing the need to develop new security strategies and revisit old protocols.
Read moreIn healthcare, the term "safety culture" or "culture of safety" is familiar. It refers to organizational values, attitudes, and goals related to providing a safe environment and safe patient care. Although perhaps not as common, the term "security culture" is conceptually very similar to safety culture. An organization's security culture focuses on beliefs, values, and behaviors related to the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI) and other sensitive data.
Read morePatient falls continue to represent a vexing and persistent problem for hospitals. As noted in a collaborative publication from The Joint Commission, the Health Research and Educational Trust, and the American Hospital Association, "Despite long-term and widespread attention to fall prevention, patients continue to fall, and many of these falls result in injury."¹
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