Page 35 - Part 1 Anesthesiology Common Risk Issues
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SVMIC Anesthesiology: Common Risk Issues
The types of communication issues in claims include:
• Physician to CRNA
• Physician to physician
• Physician to staff
• Physician to patient (including inadequate consent
discussion)
• CRNA to patient
When there is poor documentation on the pre-anesthesia
evaluation such as we have earlier discussed, there are also
related breakdowns in communication between providers.
In one case involving a patient having hernia surgery in an
outpatient setting, it was alleged that the anesthesiologist
and surgeon did not discuss the plan of care for this obese
patient with a large hernia. Had they done so, they would have
considered and likely been prepared for potential airway needs,
thereby preventing an emergency situation.
Other communication issues between physicians include the
on-call handoff between anesthesia providers.
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