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Delayed communication of critical result claims frequently involve radiologists who fail to close the communication loop (i.e., fail to obtain an acknowledgement that the ED physician read and understood the finding). Closing the loop may seem redundant because radiology reports can often be created, finalized, and posted in the EHR in near real-time;¹ however, redundancy in a system increases patient safety and reduces malpractice risk.

In the following case study, the radiologist’s critical finding was not communicated to the ED physician in time to treat the patient before progression of his condition resulted in permanent injury.

Physician burnout is associated with two-fold increased odds for unsafe care, unprofessional behaviors, and low patient satisfaction according to one study.¹ Another study shows that electronic health records (EHR) contribute to physician burnout due to the increased clerical burden that disrupts the time spent with patients.² Like many other healthcare issues, preventing physician burnout is cheaper and safer than managing the downstream consequences. In this special report, the risk management experts at NORCAL offer strategies to address stress caused by EHRs.

Physician suicide rates are higher than suicide rates in the general population, even though they are likely underreported. Yet physician suicide is still a taboo topic in our society. Thankfully, help exists for those at risk, and confidential resources are available.

Telemedicine continues to grow at an impressive rate as increasing numbers of providers adopt it in their practices, and the technology continues to improve for connecting with and delivering virtual care to patients.