Page 32 - Hospitalists - Risks When You're the Doctor in the House (Part Two)

SVMIC Hospitalists - Risks When You’re the Doctor in the House

The 10 tips are designed to reduce malpractice liability, but

applying them in daily practice can offer other benefits as well,
Dr. Smith concluded. “It helps to foster professional growth. It’ll

also help to clarify communication with peers in real time, which
can head off a lot of the communication factors that lead to

lawsuits,” he said.
1

The medical record is a communication tool. Use it to your
advantage to ensure that the things that are in your head, that

others might not be aware of and need to know, are in that
record.

Many hospitals use computerized physician order entry (CPOE)
systems. While studies have historically found CPOE systems

riddled with errors, hospitalists can improve the functioning
of these systems by changing the way they use them and

by lobbying for changes from hospitals and system vendors.
Some changes that can be made at the hospital level include

eliminating unnecessary buttons and choices and tailoring a
system to fit the needs of an individual institution and its users.
2

Care Transitions

We have already discussed the effects communication

errors can have on transitions of care. However, sometimes
a failure to communicate is the result of something else.

Miscommunications are often driven by ineffective or
inconsistent systems.

1 ACP Hospitalist, Conference Coverage, January 2020, Document to Defeat Malpractice Suits,
Stacey Butterfield.
2 ACP Hospitalist, Conference Coverage, June 2015, Improve Your CPOE to Save Time and
Patients, Stacey Butterfield.

Page 32