Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/945876
Boiling Down Issues behind Malpractice Lawsuits I N T H E R E A L M of medical malpractice, factors that motivate claims against physicians are many-faceted. However, in a review by The Doctors Company, a Napa, California- based, physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, three key issues prompted most patients' allegations of malpractice against internal medicine physicians specifically. + Just under 40 percent of the nearly 1,200 claims studied were related to diagnosis, including issues such as incorrect or delayed diagnosis. + An additional 32 percent involved medical treatment. + Almost 20 percent had to do with medication errors. The study also found that internists face greater risk of being sued over very severe injuries than physicians in other specialties. The researchers studied claims that closed from 2007 to 2014, without regard to the outcomes of those claims, according to The Doctors Company. ■ — Steve Barrett Tips to Rethink the Waiting Room W H I L E I T 'S D I F F I C U LT to imagine "waiting room" and "fun" appearing in the same sentence, medical offices can at least take the edge off some issues that may drive patients to other providers. Here are a few ideas from Williamsville, New York-based CCS Healthcare: + Respect patients' privacy. Patients may not want to discuss medical issues with staff at the reception desk if other patients are seated only a few feet away. Arrange seating accordingly. + Tidy up. A waiting room littered with used tissues, tattered magazines and the like does not inspire patients' confidence. Keep these areas and any adjoining restrooms clean. + Furnish appropriately. Parents and children should both be able to sit comfortably in a pediatric waiting room, for example, and a geriatric office should have furniture suited to the needs of the elderly. ■ — Steve Barrett SURVEY: Premiums Big among Patient Priorities C O N C E R N S A B O U T T H E state of health care in the United States run the gamut, but a PwC Health Research Institute report finds cost remains a major priority for many patients. A survey by the organization revealed that: + 69 percent of consumers consider the cost of monthly premiums important when selecting a health insurance plan. + 66 percent listed the coverage of medications and services as important. + 56 percent said the physicians and hospitals available in the network were important. The survey also revealed the centrality of physicians in providing advice about certain health conditions. Roughly four in five respondents said they would avail themselves of free advice about managing their weight or addressing conditions related to diet if it came from a nutritionist or dietitian in a physician's office. That compares with three-fifths who would take such advice from a pharmacy, two-fifths who would use the advice if it came from a gym or employer, and fewer than one-fifth who would leverage such advice if it were offered by a big-box store. ■ — Steve Barrett 1 7 M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C L E V E L A N D /A K R O N / C A N T O N ■ J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 018