Page 63 - OB Risks - Delivering the Goods (Part One)

SVMIC Obstetrics Risks: Delivering the Goods

An additional 19 percent of the systems-related risk issues in

obstetrics involved:

• The failure to follow up on missed appointments

• Failure to track follow up appointments

Additionally, the mishandling of phone calls represented another
11 percent of the systems issues.

Although the issues related to processes resulting in a retained
foreign body may also be the result of hospital policies, it is

worth noting that they accounted for 19 percent of the systems
failures that occurred in the closed claims. Obstetricians need to

ensure policies for reducing the risk of a retained foreign body
are followed closely regardless of the setting in which they are

practicing.

Let’s look at a case example involving a systems breakdown.

C A S E S T U DY

A 33-year-old, gravida 2, para 0, patient had an uneventful

pregnancy and at 36 weeks had a Strep B test in the
physician’s office. The test was positive, and the results

were placed in the chart. The following week, the patient
presented for her 37-week appointment and her blood

pressure was elevated. Because of concerns regarding
possible preeclampsia, she was sent to the hospital for

testing and blood pressure evaluation before the results
of the Strep B test were shared with her. Preeclampsia

was ruled out and the patient was sent home from the
hospital.

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