Consult Series 402: Failure to Diagnose

Risk Management Consult: Failure to Diagnose
5 CME Category One Credits toward AMA Physician's Recognition Award

Information

The need for the program was determined from comments from previous seminar participants and from malpractice insurance statistics.

Goals

This seminar is based on actual malpractice cases. All cases are real, although the names of the primary parties have been changed. Risk management principles will be derived from the cases. After each case presentation, the liabilities inherent in that case will be analyzed, and relevant risk management principles will be presented.

Objectives

When they complete this course, participants should be able to:

1. Explain the need for orally reviewing with new patients any written medical history questionnaires or other documents they provide.
2. Discuss the need for documenting negative as well as positive family histories.
3. Understand the importance of obtaining and reviewing the patient's prior medical records.
4. Explain the usefulness of written protocols in avoiding diagnostic failures.
5. Recognize the importance of documenting your differential diagnosis.
6. List the steps necessary to prevent positive test results from being filed away before they are brought to the physicianâ™s attention.

Target Audience

This seminar is designed for physicians of all specialties who want to sharpen their risk management skills. A basic knowledge of risk management and malpractice is assumed.

Faculty

This seminar was authored by Rosemary Gafner, Ed.D.

CME Information

This seminar is provided in partnership with Medical Risk Management, Inc.

Medical Risk Management, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing education to physicians. Medical Risk Management, Inc. designates this continuing medical education activity for a maximum of 5 Category 1 credit(s) toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

This activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Enduring Materials.

Physicians who satisfactorily complete this seminar with a score of 80 percent or better will receive a certificate of completion that will document their participation in this program.

Required Time

Estimated study time: 5.5 hours
Estimated testing time: 30 minutes