Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Obstetrical-gynecological imaging can be a medical malpractice minefield for ultrasound practitioners. Prenatal ultrasound in particular can present legal challenges, with a number of multimillion-dollar malpractice awards recently handed down.
Ultrasound practitioners typically make several mistakes in ob/gyn cases that can result in litigation, according to an article by staff writer Erik L. Ridley that we're featuring this week in our Ultrasound Digital Community.
In the story, Dr. Louis Weinstein, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, describes some of the most common errors, as well as how practitioners can avoid them.
Poor communication with patients and referring physicians is one such error, as ultrasound results are either communicated incorrectly or not at all following scans. Inappropriate training, such as occurs when individuals without adequate experience perform and/or interpret scans, is another.
Ultrasound practitioners can lower their legal liability with simple steps, for example by paying attention to how and what they say to patients about their scans, Weinstein believes. Find out other ways for reducing your risk by clicking here.
In a related story, Dutch researchers present their technique for using Doppler ultrasound to detect fetal anemia in a story we're featuring here.
Get these articles and more by visiting the Ultrasound Digital Community, at ultrasound.auntminnie.com.
