Risk Management: Lessons to Be Learned: A Review of Post-suicide Malpractice Lawsuits

Conclusion There are important lessons to be learned from reviewing malpractice claims and understanding the types of allegations that are frequently asserted against clinicians. By taking these into consideration, clinicians might be able to correct potential problems in their own practices and thus improve patient care—which, of course, is always the very best risk management strategy. References O’Sullivan v Presbyterian Hosp. in City of N.Y. at Columbia Presbyt. Med. Ctr., 217 AD2d 98, 100 [1995] American Psychiatric Association. The Principles of Medical Ethics: With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry, eEdition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc.; 2013: Annotation 8, Section 4: “When, in the clinical judgment of the treating psychiatrist, the risk of danger is deemed to be significant, the psychiatrist may reveal confidential information disclosed by the patient.”  https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/ethics. Accessed June 22, 2018. Under the Federal Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), covered providers have regulatory permission to discuss patients’ protected health information for treatment purposes. Some states, however, might have more stringent requirements to obtain permission from patients before releasing protected health information for this purpose. From a risk management perspective, it is recommended that psychiatrists obtain consent to talk to other treaters whenever pos...
Source: Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Current Issue Risk Management Source Type: research