Page 9 - Avoiding Surgical Mishaps Part 1

SVMIC Avoiding Surgical Mishaps: Dissecting the Risks

PART ONE

Introduction

This course will review a broad array of risk management issues

pertaining to general surgery, using actual case examples to
create a more meaningful review and enhance understanding

and retention. The course is designed to focus on practical
issues seen in SVMIC claims data. The time, money, and

personal commitment you’ve made to become a physician
can all be imperiled by a single incident creating a long, costly,

and stressful situation. Taking the preventive steps to identify
potential problems before they result in patient harm will not

only result in improved patient safety but will also reduce your
chances of being named in a medical malpractice lawsuit. This

course will examine the most frequent errors that either cause
or contribute to malpractice claims alleged against surgeons, or

make a claim less defensible. We will identify strategies to avoid
these errors and improve patient safety and, where possible,

incorporate checklists and guidelines developed by professional
societies and organizations.

The delivery of healthcare requires juggling various “aims”, such
as cost effectiveness, efficiency, advancing technology, risk

management, and the changing roles of healthcare providers to

name a few. The primary aim of this course is avoiding patient
harm. In so doing, we anticipate the other aims will be advanced
as well.

Many of you are aware of the influential framework put forth

by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), emphasizing the risk

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