Two decades into the 21st century, the comprehensive implementation of technology to prevent medical malpractice is still a relevant topic to healthcare companies, medical practices and malpractice attorneys.
Technology should reduce the occurrence of medical malpractice, whether it is using electronic records, machine learning or artificial intelligence.
Efficient Electronic Records
To avoid malpractice claims, electronic records should be updated quarterly, not annually, to catch any discrepancies that may be in the filing systems. Catching errors every three months instead of every 12 months dramatically limits liability, allowing errors to be proactively identified.
Maintaining regular communication and transparent operations with your electronic medical record vendor can go a long way in minimizing liability. Vendors should share product updates as well as external training opportunities when new releases, products and features come out. Designate a staff member, usually an office manager, to nurture that relationship and maintain logs of communications and opportunities.
Machine Learning Lessons
In the past decade machine learning has experienced rapid implementation throughout medical practices. Instead of running operations like many first thought decades ago when it was invented, machine learning in the medical industry now is used to create algorithms with the ability to assist the medical staff to identify practical health issues and create efficient solutions.
Machine learning tools can do a lot of the “dirty work” to limit malpractice liability including scanning medical journals, matching current symptoms, assist in diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations based on the patient’s reports.
Adopting AI
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) goes hand in hand with machine learning and is helping identify diagnoses and its full functionality is still being developed.
Medical firms that are “first to implement” new technologies in AI are necessary industry innovators but are increasing their malpractice risk if they lean too heavily on the diagnosis and proven best practices. Extensive staff training that can be documented and even recorded is highly recommended to minimize liability for any possible future medical malpractice lawsuits.
Teaching Technology
No matter the technology platform, implementing efficient staff training and continuing education is the best way to minimize liability for medical malpractice lawsuits.
Overreliance on technology is never recommended and can lead to holes in processes and protocol that increase exposure to malpractice liability lawsuits. Even maintaining internal training logs, along with providing mandatory and optional advanced training courses can minimize risk and exposure.
Select technology as a tool, not the solution, to minimize malpractice lawsuits.
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