THE PROBLEM:
Hospitals and clinics often produce a patient’s medical record multiple times and all copies are not the same; that creates problems in litigation.
THE SOLUTION:
1. Designate one person in your hospital or clinic to be in charge of production of medical records, regardless of who is requesting copies.
2. Make sure the individual is well trained on how to produce records in the proper manner. He or she should know all the screens and functions that must be accessed to print everything that pertains to the patient. Be sure to include everything — including things like telemetry strips, fetal heart monitor records, labs and records from outside providers. He or she should also be made aware that information may look different if various print functions are used.
3. Decide on the best method for printing, and then be consistent each time a record is produced.
This news alert is created by the attorneys at Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP. The information provided is not a substitute for legal advice and should be considered for general guidance only. Please contact one of our attorneys for specific legal advice regarding this matter.