Medical malpractice has actually become quite common in the healthcare industry. More and more, healthcare workers are being held accountable for his or her actions. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can ensure that you’re protected against medical malpractice. Currently, medical malpractice legislation aimed at protecting physicians is reportedly having a positive effect in several U.S. states. This type of legislative protection has the potential to help reduce physician malpractice civil lawsuit fears. It has now increased emergency room physician jobs across the country. By 45 years of age, 36% of physicians in low-risk specialties and 88% of physicians in high-risk specialties are likely to have had at least one malpractice claim, according to one study.
Especially as a locum tenens, malpractice protection is certainly something to consider. While we hope that you’d never harm a patient on purpose, it’s important to know that you should always take precaution within your career. Below we’ll take a look at some of the best malpractice protection tips for locum tenens.
Malpractice Protection Tips For Locum Tenens
Clear Communication
Communicating with your patients and peers might sound like common sense, but it’s actually one of the leading causes of medical malpractice cases. Maintaining a clear and consistent line of communication will limit the chance of misinterpretation. Since they probably won’t understand some of the medical jargon, make sure you’re putting things into simple and easy to understand explanations.
Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter how talented, educated, or experienced a doctor you are if your bedside manner is always creating friction between you and your patient’s. It also helps you get to know your patients better and helps their family members gain a good understanding of care and procedures. It all adds up to earning the trust of your patients. And when you have a patient’s trust, they are less likely to bring a lawsuit against you if something goes wrong. Don’t forget to open your ears! We know that you’re the expert in this situation, but it’s still important to listen what your patients are telling you. At the end of the day, your ability to maintain a healthy doctor-patient relationship can make or break your career.
Get Informed and Written Consent
Another major aspect of malpractice protection is to ensure that your patients have given informed content in a written document. Informed consent means that your patient is well aware of the advantages of the care you’re trying to provide. Most health care facilities obtain the informed consent of their patients by way of a signed agreement that is completed with enrollment paperwork. It’s a simple task and an important one that can defend you in a malpractice case. It’s also important to keep your own records in writing. This means detailing most of your day in legible handwriting as well as documenting any issues that patients may be having. These notes could certainly come in handy when it comes to malpractice protection.
Stay Current
Malpractice protection also means that you must remain up-to-date on not just procedures, but your own licenses and certifications as well. Medical malpractice law differs from state to state. If you’re traveling as a locum tenens, you’ll want to ensure that you’re familiar with the legalities of malpractice suits. Make sure you’re not just familiar with the current standards, but any changes as well. You also want to ensure that your licenses are current. If you’re traveling between states, you’ll want to make sure that you’re legally allowed to practice in that specific state. Lastly, it’s also important that you stay up to date with industry trends as well. You’re a trusted source of information for your parents, so make sure you know what you’re talking about.
As always, if you’re looking to travel the country and pursue a locum tenens career, check out the thousands of jobs we have available today!
