Page 38 - 2022 Risk Basics - Surgical Practice

SVMIC Risk Basics: Surgical Practice

and essential to avoiding delays in diagnosis and/or treatment.

A patient may fall through the cracks if an abnormal test result
is misplaced or filed away without taking appropriate action or

when a patient fails to keep a recommended appointment.

The importance of handling lab and diagnostic test results
consistently across the practice cannot be overemphasized.

By adopting office-wide strategies for tracking, the entire staff

can work together as a cohesive unit and successfully manage
oversight of this important process. The value of making the

tracking system consistent across the entire practice is even

more evident on days when staff absences require the
employees to assist a provider with whom they may not be

familiar. If a single tracking system is consistently used for all
providers, the risk of losing important tests or follow-ups is

significantly reduced in those situations.

CASE STUDY

A 43-year-old female, 25 days post bariatric surgery,

presented to the surgeon’s office with a history of vomiting
for four days. The patient was admitted to the hospital for

an endoscopy. The results showed esophagitis, but no
obstruction was present. The patient was discharged two

days later.

One week after the endoscopy, now five weeks after the

bariatric surgery, she was readmitted because of a bowel
obstruction that was identified when she presented with

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