Although a medical malpractice lawsuit win can often lead to compensation for the victims involved, it also serves another purpose. It hopefully motivates the physicians and medical entities to change their safety procedures so the negligence doesn’t happen again.
A recent news article described a few ways that doctors and hospitals in a nearby state are trying to decrease medical errors and therefore medical malpractice claims. One hospital apparently does simulations of high-risk situations such as postpartum hemorrhaging as a way to teach their physicians and staff how to properly communicate during such an event. The training has helped one hospital cut its medical malpractice costs by 26 percent since 2011.
Another way that the hospital has tried to improve its communication during these situations is by creating an office of patient affairs. They realized that it’s important to talk to patients directly about what is happening or what has happened instead of covering things up or acting like nothing happened. The hospital has seen great results from this approach. Clearly communicating during patient handoffs is also another strategy that has been helpful.
It’s very good to read about the different ways that medical malpractice lawsuits have prompted clinics and hospitals to reconsider their safety procedures. When they take initiative to implement new programs such as the ones mentioned above, it not only saves them money, but it also helps save the lives of patients and keeps them from suffering unnecessary harm due to negligence. In the long run, it’s a win-win situation.
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