A 33-year-old woman is moved from a small community hospital to the university medical center owing to severe pyelonephritis with sepsis. She has a history of recurring urinary tract infections as a result of urine retention caused by a spinal cord injury as a youngster. The patient is febrile and sluggish when he arrives. She offers no more background, and the only information accessible is from the originating hospital's handwritten records, which are illegible. The patient is hospitalized to the critical care unit and given the antibiotics imipenem and vancomycin. The patient gets a rash and significant respiratory distress overnight, necessitating temporary artificial ventilation. The following morning, a transcribed physician note from the originating hospital arrives by fax and indicates that the patient has an allergy to multiple antibiotics, including imipenem. When discussing events with the patient and her family, which of the following statements is associated with reduced malpractice liability for the treating clinician?

Question

A 33-year-old woman is moved from a small community hospital to the university medical center owing to severe pyelonephritis with sepsis. She has a history of recurring urinary tract infections as a result of urine retention caused by a spinal cord injury as a youngster. The patient is febrile and sluggish when he arrives. She offers no more background, and the only information accessible is from the originating hospital's handwritten records, which are illegible. The patient is hospitalized to the critical care unit and given the antibiotics imipenem and vancomycin. The patient gets a rash and significant respiratory distress overnight, necessitating temporary artificial ventilation. The following morning, a transcribed physician note from the originating hospital arrives by fax and indicates that the patient has an allergy to multiple antibiotics, including imipenem.  When discussing events with the patient and her family, which of the following statements is associated with reduced malpractice liability for the treating clinician?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Most patients who encounter problems, even if they are preventable, do not file a malpractice claim. Patients who sue physicians are often motivated not by financial benefits, but by rage, distrust, or a sense that the clinician is unconcerned about their well-being. Patients frequently complain inadequate communication from providers and pursue lawsuits solely to have a better understanding of what occurred.
When communicating with a patient after a medical error, doctors should disclose the problem clearly and honestly; hiding an error might look dishonest and provoke animosity if the error is subsequently revealed. The patient should be able to ask questions during the dialogue, and responses should be delivered in language that the patient understands. A plan to rectify the error should be provided. The provider should then convey concern for the patient and remain engaged with the patient's care until the issue has been resolved.

A 33-Year-Old Woman Is Moved from a Small Community Hospital