May 2007 · Vol. 19, No. 05Malpractice risk management: Make patient safety a tool to keep risk in check
A well-thought-out, well-executed approach to patient encounters can be your best defense against a claim
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Fast Track
Evidence suggests that as many as 70% of adverse surgical events are preventable
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Thomas
J.
Donnelly,
JDPartner, Donnelly Nelson Depolo & Murray, LLP, Walnut Creek, Calif
Lawsuit filings have increased substantially in medicine over the past 10 to 15 years. So have indemnity payments—money spent in case settlements or in verdicts and awards in favor of plaintiffs. Specifically, there has been a rise in malpractice payouts higher than $1 million.1
Statistics on medical errors that are often the basis of actions are revealing:
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