Tag: communication

Most physicians and other healthcare providers encounter patients with limited health literacy every day. Increasing awareness and facilitating patient education can mitigate the impact of health literacy on health outcomes and patient safety – and reduce liability risk.

Reliable and comprehensive communication between referring and consulting dentists is an important part of providing good patient care and managing risk. Here are brief recommendations to build good communication into the standard office procedure.

The communication of test results is an important part of providing care and may involve various healthcare professionals. Test results may be over-looked, lost, or scanned into the wrong record. Review this Risk Management Tip from MLMIC to reinforce related policies and protocols within your practice or facility.

Lack of communication between providers may result in poor coordination of care. This may include a delay in diagnosis or treatment, the failure to order diagnostic testing or act upon abnormal test results, or the failure to prescribe appropriate medications. Review this Risk Management Tip from MLMIC to reinforce related policies and protocols within your practice or facility.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of the doctor-patient relationship. Patients’ perceptions of physician communication skills may impact the potential for allegations of malpractice. Review this Risk Management Tip from MLMIC to reinforce related policies and protocols within your practice or facility.

The failure to properly handle and document after-hours telephone calls can adversely affect patient care and lead to potential liability exposure for the physician. Review this Risk Management Tip from MLMIC to reinforce related policies and protocols within your practice or facility.

A well-defined process for following up on missed or cancelled appointment will help ensure continuity of care and enhance patient safety. Review this Risk Management Tip from MLMIC to reinforce related policies and protocols within your practice or facility.

A cornerstone of the quality of care provided at any healthcare organization is a culture that provides for the safety of patients and promotes an environment where staff and providers feel comfortable in raising issues or concerns.

The Fall 2018 edition of MLMIC’s Case Review describes how lack of communication impacts patient care, including diagnostic errors and treatment delays.

Enrollment is currently open for the next MLMIC-HANYS webinar, “The Hospitalist’s Role in Effective Coordination of Care,” on July 18. This 60-minute complimentary webinar will describe how a well-designed and implemented hospitalist program helps physicians and facilities provide optimum patient care and reduce potential liability risk.