Consumer Law

New Kind of Medical Malpractice ? Not Telling Patients About Test Results

By Andy Hoffman

In what can only be described as a devastating new report, it turns out that ?Failing to inform a patient of an abnormal outpatient test result or to document informing patients of abnormal outpatient test results are common.  And it can be a serious error,? says the report.

In fact, in two of the largest academic medical centers studied, ?23 percent of abnormal results were never mentioned to patients.?  Yikes!

So next time we hear talk about the need to limit lawsuits against doctors who are negligent or incompetent, let?s remind ourselves that the way to stop injuries, claims and lawsuits ? and bring down the cost of health care ? is to stop the malpractice.  Not take away patients? rights when they?ve been hurt.

Full post as published by ThePopTort on June 25, 2009 (boomark / email).