Risk Management
Physicians: Exercise Caution When Using Social Media
When a physician accesses social media – whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or another social media site – it is very important to be honest, respect privacy, and uphold the reputation of the medical profession. It is also important to seriously consider separating one’s professional use of social media from one’s personal use. Physicians… Read More »
Hospital to Pay $1 Million to Settle HIPAA Privacy Claims
The federal government has made clear that it is serious about enforcing the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Before HITECH’s data breach notification requirements were in place and being enforced, a Massachusetts General Hospital employee took documents containing protected health information (“PHI”) from her bag and placed them on the seat beside her while commuting… Read More »
Avoiding Claims of Patient Abandonment
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF “PATIENT ABANDONMENT”? The term “patient abandonment” sounds very serious, and in fact, is a quite serious claim against a physician or surgeon. A claim of patient abandonment could arise when a physician retires or relocates to a new practice group. If a patient were to succeed on such… Read More »
Institutional Review Boards for Clinical Trials
In the United States, clinical trials are reviewed and approved by institutional review boards (“IRBs”). IRBs are most often composed of physicians, scientists, and lay people. They review study protocols and consent documents in order to make sure that the participants’ rights are protected, and that the particular study does not pose a burdensome… Read More »
