Radiologist from Florida
COMMUNICATION IN RADIOLOGY
Although the primary reasons for radiology malpractice cases are missed diagnoses or delay of diagnosis, breakdown in communication between radiologists and ordering provider's now accounts for a growing number of malpractice cases against radiologists.
One of the first cases to address this issue was in 1966 in Indiana where a court determined that when confronted with clinically significant or urgent findings, radiologist should make direct telephone contact with the referring physician before sending out the written report because "radiologists frequently cannot depend on the clinician to read a written report".
The American College of Radiology guidelines for communication states "In emergent or other nonroutine clinical situations, the interpreting...
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Gastroenterologist Expert Witness
COLONOSCOPY ISSUES
GASTROENTEROLOGIST FROM PENNSYLVANIA
Physicians can be criticized and sued for problems that fall under the headings of errors of omission and commission. One of the more common problems that can be considered a problem of omission is a failure to diagnose colon cancer. Colonoscopy is credited with being, at least to a large extent, responsible for a greater than 40% reduction of colon cancer mortality. Although it is an excellent diagnostic tool, the best currently available, it is not perfect by any means. The major reduction of colon cancer and death attributable to early diagnosis, and polypectomy, primarily of distal lesions, those below the splenic flexure. Lesions in the ascending...
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Missed Diagnosis Expert Witness
Missed Diagnosis
Hematology/Oncology Expert From New York
Among the most successful matters of this kind are cases of missed diagnosis. In out rushed, fragmented health care system, where doctors don’t often talk to patients and not even to one another, it is not uncommon for lab result, a finding on imaging, or even a pathology report to go missing or to be missed. In such cases, the defense cannot argue the facts and will often invoke scientifically questionable theoretical concepts such as doubling time and micrometastases to claim that the patient was already doomed, even as early as the time of the missed diagnosis. It is then my responsibility to explain why...
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Critical Care Technology Expert Witness
Critical Care Technology
By Critical Care Expert in Maryland
During the past 20 years, there has been a slowly developing but drastic change in the practice of Critical Care Medicine:
The technology of Critical Care has undergone a revolution. We can support almost any key organ in the body artificially, including lungs (ventilator, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), kidney (dialysis as well as sophisticated dialysis that does not decrease blood pressure, CVVH), heart (left ventricular assist device, defibrillating pacers, coronary stenting, etc.), liver (MARS), and vascular system (pressor medications, intra-aortic balloon pump). We have sophisticated and accurate ultrasound devices to determine the cause of problems such as lung collapse and low blood pressure. We can...
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Nurse Expert Witness – Changed Records
Changed Records
Nurse from Pennsylvania
COMMON FEATURES OF MISSED APPENDICITIS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPT
Would it have been possible to prevent blindness in an extremely immature infant? Despite showing all the associated risk factors for development of retrolental fibroplasia (RLF), the infant's eyes were not examined until the 121st day of life. The exam revealed bilateral retrolental fibroplasia at Grade V, with poor prognosis for vision. Medical Advisors was asked to determine whether or not an eye examination should have been done at an earlier date. If so, would that have prevented eye damage? Following birth, the infant was placed in the intensive care nursery for therapy of respiratory distress syndrome--Hyaline membrane disease....
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