Reasons for medical professional disclosure There are many things that the medical professional must consider in the aftermath of a medical error. It may seem that they have many options, but one thing is for sure: Disclosure is the right option. More than likely there will be legal consequences, so the medical professional must take this as a hard, cold fact. The legal consequences will be a consideration when disclosing to the patient that a medical error has occurred. This will take moral courage and integrity, but more than likely the legal consequences will be less if the disclosure is front and center. The economic impact on the medical professional may be profound. But what must also be considered is the
economic impact on the patient and their family. Medical errors are costly in every way, shape, and form for all concerned. This can be remembered when going over a therapy plan, a surgery option, or a medication routine to review: Double check and do all things possible to avoid any error. Lastly, the medical professional must not forget that while serious, recovery from a medical error is possible. It is important for to seek help and guidance in the wake of a medical error and to utilize the techniques offered in this course to reduce or eliminate future errors. Sue is an occupational therapist at Gulf Coast Therapy Associates located in Bates County, Missouri. She has just completed an intake on Frank Simons for therapy after a work-related accident at Exxon Mobil Refinery. The Bates County public health agency receives information that a person infected with a contagious bacterium by the name of Frank Simons is being treated at Sue’s facility. On the one hand, Sue and the facility have a duty to respect Frank’s right to confidentiality and freedom of movement. However, the occupational therapist and Gulf Coast Therapy Associates have a greater duty to prevent the spread of the bacterium to other people. In the utilitarianism approach to ethics this is known as “doing the greatest good for the largest number of people.” Thus, more good would be achieved by protecting the public health of all the other patients treated at Gulf Coast Therapy Associates. This can be accomplished only by breaching Frank Simon’s confidentiality and his freedom of movement.
Case studies
Lucinda and her husband were at an initial appointment with Dr. Richards, a chiropractor, after Lucinda had continued to have low back discomfort following the birth of their daughter. Dr. Richards did a subjective history, took x-rays, and performed a manual examination. Then he called Lucinda and her husband into his office. He informed Lucinda of the problems that she had in her lower back and recommended a plan of care. The plan of care extended over a 6-month period of time consisting of heat therapy and manipulation along with repeated x-rays. By the second month, office visits were required every other day. Lucinda did not have health insurance and could not cover the $10,000 medical bill. Lucinda attempted to negotiate a payment plan with Dr. Richards, but the doctor was unwilling to work with her. He advised Lucinda that treatment could not continue until payment was received.
MEDICAL ERRORS PREVENTION
errors will continue. When the focus is solutions, the door to prevention will begin to open. Errors do need to be reported so that they can be analyzed if improvements to the health care system are to be achieved. But for long-term prevention, solutions must be at the core of all reviews. Another tactic that can be utilized in the medical error prevention scheme is that of a partnership. A partnership needs to be developed between the patient and medical professional to jointly engage in ensuring that the appropriate care is provided in the following manner: ● At the right place. ● At the right time. ● To the correct person. ● In the safest and most efficient manner possible. consequently take calculated risks. This deficit of knowledge may simply be because there is insufficient information available about the risks, benefits, or use of a certain drug. There may be a lack of up-to-date pharmacologic facts due to the volume of products on the market and the changing safety information.
In 1999, the public took notice of an article released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) entitled, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System . The report stated that between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths may result each year from medical errors in hospitals alone while more than 7,000 deaths annually are related to medications (Kohn et al., 2000). In response to the IOM's report, all parts of the U.S. health system implemented reduction strategies into high gear by re-evaluating and strengthening checks and balances to prevent errors. Many in the healthcare arena feel that the primary focus of research in medical errors should be prevention strategies. It is not so important to discover the error as it is to find a method to prevent it. When the focus is the problem, Knowledge Lack of knowledge is a barrier to prevention of medical errors. Patients and the medical professional must be educated but the medical professional must set the standard to become educated thus challenging the patient to do likewise (Rodziewicz et al., 2023). Unfortunately, the medical professional and patients alike make decisions and Action There is a need for quality control: almost 50% of all errors in doses and prescriptions in the medication process are caused by missing actions (Tariq et al., 2023). The number
of errors could be reduced by simple changes of existing procedures or by implementing automated technologies in the medication process.
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