The Doctors Company On Defending Against Malpractice Allegations in Highly Publicized Cases
Gallagher Healthcare :: Industry Insights
By Trey Hutchins | 3/2/2015The media and general public often empathize with the patient when allegations of malpractice are raised. For a physician, this predisposition can be terrifying because it automatically paints the doctor as at fault, even when best practices were clearly followed. This video, presented by The Doctors Company (TDC), discusses the malpractice suit leveled against a physician in Texas involving a patient who overdosed on prescription drugs shortly after being treated.
Cases such as these are difficult because media attention can add to the emotional toll of a family already dealing with a tremendous amount of grief. The video offers an overview of the reason malpractice was claimed, as well as the evidence of the doctor's treatment of the patient. But more importantly, TDC discusses the emotional toll such legal proceedings can have on a physician, and how they can best serve the doctor by making certain that their case and voice is heard. For a doctor facing a malpractice suit for any reason, it can compromise their level of comfort in practicing medicine, not due to lack of confidence in professional abilities but in a fear of treatment being misinterpreted. The video discusses all of these points and offers the ultimate conclusion to the case.