Doctors RX

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
Consultation and Transfer of Care: Avoiding the Risks
Communication Skills
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 Act
HIPAA
HIPAA - Notice of Privacy Practices
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
Office Practice Safety — Too Busy to Track Consults/Test Results?
Paperless Record-Keeping
Physician Extenders
Physician Extenders (2011)
Promises, Promises...
"Red Flags" Rule
Responsibilities of the On-Call Physician
Sexual Misconduct
What Patients Want?
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)

Don't Extend Your Risk!
The use of Physician extenders continues to grow as an option for many practices. This issue looks at recent changes in Maryland law with respect to utilization of extenders and gives suggested risk reduction recommendations.
Summer 2011 (PDF, 5.11 MB)

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)

What Patients Want?
This special edition examines the facts of a recent Maryland court ruling that has modified the state's doctrine of informed consent and could have far-reaching consequences for Physicians.
Special Edition No. 2 - 2009 (PDF, 638 KB)

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)

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.
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)

Office Practice Safety — Too Busy to Track Consults/Test Results?
This issue discusses follow-up and tracking in the office setting. It also provides assistance with putting a system together that can help you provide better patient care.
Winter 2006 (PDF, 363 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, 168 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 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, 6148 KB)

Minors and the Consent Process
A review of the legal and ethical issues associated with the consent process for minors. Also, a look at new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control on the issue of hand hygiene
Spring 2003 (PDF, 253 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, 2410 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, 4925 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, 1630 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, 3487 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, 3285 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, 1736 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, 1146 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, 1035 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, 1118 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)