Click on topic name for additional information, then click on issue date to view the PDF file.
ADA and AIDS/HIV Infected Patients
Acute Myocardial Infarction
CDC Guidelines on Hand Hygiene
Communication Skills
Consultation and the Transfer of Care:
Avoiding the Risks
Culture and Medicine
Curbside or Bedside?
Difficult Doctor
Doing No e-Harm
Documentation
Documentation Pitfalls
Dueling Doctors
Emergency in the Medical Office
EMTALA
Failure to Diagnose
Health Literacy
HITECH
HIPAA 2
HIPAA - Notice of Privacy Practices
"I'm Sorry" May Be More Complicated
Than You Think
Impaired Driver
Informed Refusal
Internet Liability
Laws and Regulations - Health Care
Managed Care
Maryland's New "I'm Sorry" Legislation
Medical Disclosures
Minors and the Consent Process
Paperless Record-Keeping
Physician Extenders
Promises, Promises...
"Red Flags" Rules
Responsibilities of the On-Call
Physician
Sexual Misconduct
Why Can't We Be "Friends"?
Wrong Site Surgery
Medical Office 911: Expecting the Unexpected
This issue of Doctors RX discusses the importance of
establishing a plan of action to address unexpected
medical emergencies and provides information to consider
when evaluating your practice's emergency preparedness.
Winter 2011
(PDF, 676 KB)
Why Can't We Be "Friends"?
This issue will take a look at the ramifications of
social networking not only for Physicians, but also their
staff and provides suggestions for reducing the legal
risks of utilizing this new form of communication.
Winter
2010
(PDF, 832 KB)
High Time for HITECH?
This issue will highlight key provisions of the HITECH
Act and provide Physicians with assistance in meeting the
compliance goals that have been set forth in this new
regulation.
Summer
2010
(PDF, 1.34 MB)
FTC Delays Enforcement of "Red
Flags" Rule
This special edition of Doctors RX gives practical
information on the creation and implementation of a
medical identity theft protection program in your
practice.
Special
Edition 2009 (PDF, 863 KB)
Curbside or Bedside?
This newsletter looks formal and informal consultations and
the larger issues that arise when a Patient-Physician
relationship is formed.
Summer
2009 (PDF, 800 KB)
Doing No e-Harm
For many Physicians, the incorporation of an electronic
medical records system is an enormous undertaking. This
newsletter will look at ways to protect vital patient
information.
Winter
2008 (PDF, 242 KB)
Promises, Promises...
This issue looks at two cases which illustrate how
promises made in the clinical setting led to medical
malpractice litigation and informed consent issues.
Summer
2008 (PDF, 323 KB)
Consultation and Transfer of
Care: Avoiding the Risks
The focus of this issue is on patient referral and the
ramifications for both the referring Physician and the
specialist.
Fall/Winter 2007
(PDF, 394 KB)
The Difficult Doctor
This issue profiles the disruptive Physician and provides
insight in addressing those situations that detract from the
primary goal of every Physician - quality patient care.
Summer
2007 (PDF, 303 KB)
"I'm Sorry" May Be More Complicated Than You Think
A detailed look at the "I'm
Sorry" statute passed by the 2005 Virginia General Assembly
and understanding what this important statute means to
Virginia Physicians.
Spring 2006 (PDF, 351 KB)
Maryland's
New "I'm Sorry" Legislation
A detailed look at the "I'm
Sorry" statute passed in the 2005 Maryland Legislature and
understanding what this important statute means to Maryland
Physicians.
Winter 2005 (PDF, 315 KB)
Culture and Medicine
The aim of this article is to aid physicians in improving the
quality of their care while reducing the frustration created
by treating patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
Spring 2005 (PDF, 252 KB)
Documentation Pitfalls: Ways to Avoid Them
In the current liability environment, it is, however, more
important than ever to revisit this topic and to take
documentation to the next level. Not typically or necessarily
more, but better.
Fall 2004 (PDF, 467 KB)
Spotting the Impaired Driver: A Roadmap for
Physicians.
What are the responsibilities of the Physician when it comes
to spotting and reporting an impaired driver? What are your
responsibilities to the patient? A detailed look at this
complex issue. This newsletter also provides important
information for surgeons regarding the new Protocol required
by JCAHO for the prevention of wrong-site surgery.
Spring 2004 (PDF, 250 KB)
Proposed EMTALA Changes Impact the Medical Staff
A look at the proposed changes being considered for the
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), and
how they could affect Physicians in emergency departments and
independent Physicians seeing patients in an on-call
situation.
Summer
2003 (PDF, 285 KB)
CDC Guidelines on Hand Hygiene
A look at new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control
on the issue of hand hygiene, including the use of alcohol
hand rubs, as a further step towards fighting infection in the
health care setting.
Spring
2003 (PDF, 317 KB)
Minors and the Consent Process
A review of the legal and ethical issues associated with the
consent process for minors.
Spring
2003 (PDF, 317 KB)
Medical Disclosures
Medical disclosures as a way to improve communication, reduce
exposure and benefit your practice.
Special
Issue 2002 (PDF, 271 KB)
HIPAA - Notice of Privacy Practices
Learn how to give your patients a "Notice of Privacy
Practices" as required by HIPAA.
Fall/Winter 2002 (PDF, 178 KB)
Informed Refusal
What issues arise when patients refuse treatment? A closer
look at the "informed" part of informed refusal. Also includes
update on recently announced changes to HIPAA privacy
regulations.
Spring
2002 (PDF, 137 KB)
HIPAA
HIPAA privacy regulations - What every Physician needs to
know. A review of the key aspects of the privacy rule and
information to prepare you and your practice for compliance.
Fall/Winter 2001 (PDF, 123 KB)
Health Literacy
Poor health literacy- The hidden health care dilemma. Increase
your awareness of how patient communication/comprehension
problems may interact to influence health outcomes.
Spring/Summer 2001 (PDF, 149 KB)
Failure to Diagnose
Failure to diagnose is a silent but all-too-frequent cause of
malpractice lawsuits. Learn how this problem affects your
specialty, the leading causes of FTD claims, and what you can
do about them.
Fall/Winter 2000 (PDF, 271 KB)
Internet Liability
As computers become more widespread and patients get more
comfortable with the Internet, new issues emerge. This issue
looks at Internet liability exposure and the risk management
implications for your practice.
Spring/Summer 2000 (PDF, 184 KB)
Responsibilities of the On-Call Physician
Is there a doctor in the house? What are your legal duties and
responsibilities when you assume the role of an "on-call"
physician? Learn how to reduce your liability risk.
Fall/Winter 1999 (PDF, 184 KB)
Dueling Doctors
Dueling Doctors: Dueling with a colleague still exists among
physicians. Why does it occur and what can you do about it?
Also, read how innocuous chart entries and billing errors can
have disastrous outcomes.
Spring/Summer 1999 (PDF, 346 KB)
Laws and Regulations - Health Care
A review of important health care related laws and
regulations.
Spring/Summer 1998 (PDF, 301 KB)
Documentation
Good documentation is critical in a malpractice defense. A
review of actual closed claims showing how the presence, or
absence, of good documentation can make the difference in
defending a lawsuit.
Fall/Winter 1997 (PDF, 983 KB)
Physician Extenders
Physician Extenders: Who are they and what do you need to know
for them to be an asset to your practice? Understand the rules
which govern your relationship with these health care
personnel and the implications for your liability exposure.
Spring/Summer 1997 (PDF, 366 KB)
Acute Myocardial Infarction
Highlights of the PIAA Acute Myocardial Infarction Study.
Acute Myocardial Infarction can impact almost every specialty.
All practitioners involved in the diagnosis and treatment of
acute MI's should review these study findings.
Fall/Winter 1996 (PDF, 902 KB)
Paperless Record-Keeping
Paperless record-keeping - Is it for you? Should you consider
moving from a handwritten patient record system to an
electronic or computerized version? Insight from a Physician
who has faced this issue.
Spring/Summer 1996 (PDF, 971 KB)
Managed Care
Managed care - A question of quality. A panel discussion with
different perspectives on the topic of managed care.
Fall/Winter 1995 (PDF, 288 KB)
Communication Skills
Doctor, are you listening? Enhanced physician-patient
communication skills are an important key to preventing
malpractice litigation.
Spring/Summer 1995 (PDF, 964 KB)
ADA and AIDS/HIV Infected Patients
Why you can't "just say no." Information and guidance
regarding the ADA and HIV/AIDS infected patients.
Fall/Winter 1994 (PDF, 869 KB)
Sexual Misconduct
A doctor's worst nightmare: A charge of sexual misconduct. An
allegations of sexual misconduct carries far-reaching personal
and professional implications. Learn how you can avoid this
unfortunate circumstance.
Spring/Summer 1994 (PDF, 905 KB)