Page 26 - Part 2 Anesthesiology Common Risk Issues

SVMIC Anesthesiology: Common Risk Issues

Distractions related to clinical care (e.g., answering team

member questions or responding to surgical equipment alarms)
versus distractions unrelated to clinical care (e.g., making

personal phone calls, sending personal text messages, checking
social media sites, playing games) are important distinctions.

Several healthcare organizations have developed guidelines

on the use of new technologies and a number of professional
organizations, such as the American College of Surgery and
11
the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, have issued
position statements regarding the use of mobile devices.
12

Pain Management

Let’s look at another area of potential risk: the anesthesiologist
practicing pain management. Obviously, a comprehensive

review of pain management issues would be beyond the scope
of this general anesthesia course; but we will examine a few of

the most common liability risks and how to prevent them.

A review of SVMIC Interventional Pain Management claims with
a paid loss from 2007-2016, reveals that medical judgment was

challenged in 79 percent of the cases. Allegations included:

• Utilizing improper technique

• Failing to properly diagnose and treat a complication

• Failing to order proper diagnostic tests

• Failing to obtain a consult

11 http://bulletin.facs.org/2016/10/statement-on-distractions-in-the-operating-room/
12 https://www.aana.com/docs/default-source/practice-aana-com-web-documents-(all)/mobile-
information-technology.pdf?sfvrsn=610049b1_2

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