Page 40 - OB Risks - Delivering the Goods (Part Two)
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SVMIC Obstetrics Risks: Delivering the Goods
The ACOG Guidelines: Friend or Foe?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology
issues practice guidelines that are intended to support clinical
decision-making. Although the various ACOG guidelines do not
necessarily reflect the standard of care, they nevertheless carry
significant legal weight, and plaintiffs’ lawyers know more about
the ACOG Guidelines than many obstetricians.
Because of its preeminence, ACOG’s Guidelines are generally
authoritative from a legal standpoint. Notwithstanding the
fact that ACOG explicitly states in its printed material that its
guidelines do not constitute or reflect the standard of care,
these guidelines and parameters do greatly influence the courts.
Obstetricians who are defendants in malpractice lawsuits can
expect to be browbeaten by the plaintiffs’ attorneys during
cross-examination using the ACOG Guidelines. Moreover,
the plaintiff’s obstetrics experts will testify that the guidelines
are reflective of the standard of care, placing the defendant
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