Healthcare providers have the right to choose which patients they want to treat. They also have the right to terminate relationships with patients for various reasons, as long as they are not violating state or federal laws (e.g., in relation to discrimination or abandonment).
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Issues related to informed consent are a persistent area of concern in healthcare and a source of liability exposure. MedPro malpractice claims data show that more than one-fourth of all communication-related malpractice cases involve allegations associated with informed consent.1 Many of these allegations are related to inadequate consent processes and failure to manage patient expectations.
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Ambulatory healthcare facilities — such as clinics, surgery centers, medical offices, and dental offices — must make concerted efforts to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases and outbreaks. As more patient care services have shifted from inpatient to outpatient settings, the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) has become more pronounced.
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Marcy A. Metzgar
Many healthcare providers find that text messaging provides quick access to the information they need to make decisions and is convenient for communicating with other providers and patients. Yet, texting presents privacy and security concerns.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Medication treatment is a complex process because of the number of steps and individuals involved, the volume of medication orders in hospitals, and the increasing number of prescription drugs on the market. As a result, errors are common throughout the medication process.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Recent years have seen an explosion in patient demand for, and prescribing of, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs. These medications — which are branded under the names Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Zepbound®, and Mounjaro® — are in growing demand as a result of their efficacy, increased advertising, and social media prominence (including endorsements from celebrities and influencers).1
Read more Managing patients who have difficult behaviors or who are nonadherent with their care plans is a persistent issue that healthcare providers face. If a patient who has these issues is already under your care, various risk management strategies can help you manage the situation. However, difficult patient behavior and nonadherence still can be frustrating, stressful, and time-consuming.
Read more Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
In healthcare, the term “culture of safety” or “safety culture” 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 protecting health information, other sensitive data, and patient and employee privacy.
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