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Safety Net

146 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratings

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Episodes

Alert on Surgical Items Left Behind in Patients

December 30, 2023 17:00 - 8 minutes - 16.5 MB

In late 2023, the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization issued an advisory noting a spike in reports of retained surgical items. A retained surgical item is patient safety lingo for when the surgical team leaves something like a sponge or a tool inside the patient after surgery. These events may lead to serious harm, such as sepsis, prolonged hospitalization, the need for subsequent surgery, or death.

Higher Malpractice Risk with Advanced Practice Providers? Data Say Not Really

November 29, 2023 17:00 - 8 minutes - 16.2 MB

The topline data from Candello claims analysis do not show an increase in malpractice corresponding to the increased use of APPs. In fact, the claims rate may be declining, adjusting for practice population increases.

When a Doctor is Sued: Former Defendant Finds Her Voice

September 12, 2023 17:00 - 18 minutes - 34.1 MB

A former doctor defendant found meaning after the ordeal despite her lack of preparation or role models. Dr. Gita Pensa, an emergency medicine physician, made it her professional focus to help other physicians through to the other side of the litigation journey.

Boarding Critical Care Patients in EDs: New Guidance from Patient Safety Experts

August 16, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutes - 16.2 MB

The boarding of critical care patients in the emergency department is an increasing concern because ICUs are often also too full to take them.

An Alert on Cyber Risk for Health Providers: No One is Safe

June 12, 2023 17:00 - 7 minutes - 14.4 MB

Healthcare providers are facing new threats from online attacks that require new strategies to limit liability, harm to patients, and revenue loss. In spring of 2023, the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization (AMC PSO), issued an updated Patient Safety Alert: Cyber Security and Recovery, available on the CRICO web site.

An Alert on Cyber Risk for Health Providers: No One is Safe

June 10, 2023 17:00 - 7 minutes - 14.4 MB

Healthcare providers are facing new threats from online attacks that require new strategies to limit liability, harm to patients, and revenue loss. In spring of 2023, the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization (AMC PSO), issued an updated Patient Safety Alert: Cyber Security and Recovery, available on the CRICO web site.

Medical Error’s Stubborn Threat to Hospital Patients

May 12, 2023 17:00 - 10 minutes - 14 MB

A new study that looks at when, where, and how medical errors occur in the in-patient setting is shining a bright light on threats to patient safety and quality in health care. A topline result of a 25 percent error rate for hospital admissions is getting a lot of attention. Lead author David Bates and others explain the implications for everyone in health care from the board room to the bedside.

When the Patient’s Home is the Hospital

March 14, 2023 17:00 - 12 minutes - 22.4 MB

Admitting patients to their own homes for hospital care: many factors are coming together to make the “Home Hospital” a hot topic in health care delivery. A roomful of defense attorneys in Boston recently heard about the risks and benefits from the MGB leader in charge of the largest such program in the country.

Copy and Paste in the Medical Record: A Top EHR Danger

February 15, 2023 17:00 - 8 minutes - 15 MB

When it comes to medical notes in patient charts, copying and pasting carries risks of confusion, patient harm, and liability for providers.

Copy and Paste in the Medical Record: A Top EHR Danger

February 15, 2023 17:00 - 8 minutes - 15 MB

When it comes to medical notes in patient charts, copying and pasting carries risks of confusion, patient harm, and liability for providers.

Getting SMART About Harassment

January 13, 2023 17:00 - 11 minutes - 20.5 MB

Recent data from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine show that sexual harassment and gender discrimination affect up to 50 percent of women medical students and more than 50 percent of women faculty in medicine. It affects men too.

New Guidance on Preventing Lost Medical Specimens

October 17, 2022 09:00 - 8 minutes - 15.5 MB

It is estimated that thousands of medical specimens are lost each month. The impact on the diagnostic process when a specimen is lost is of particular concern. In early 2022, a patient safety document was published by the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization, or AMC PSO, to describe ways to prevent harm to patients when specimens are lost. Safety Net interviews two participants with some advice for QI.

Making Sure Patients Don’t Catch Fire During Surgery

August 16, 2022 09:00 - 6 minutes - 12.1 MB

Hundreds of patients are harmed in OR fires every year. Experts in patient safety want hospitals and providers to focus more on lowering the potential for fire during surgery.

Simulation’s Evolving Place in Health Care

July 08, 2022 09:00 - 10 minutes - 18.7 MB

The use of simulation in health care has grown worldwide. This year and through 2028, industry business analysts expect double digit growth in a $2 billion market for simulation services, software, and anatomical models. We interview pioneers and leading edge practitioners of the art.

Simulation’s Evolving Place in Healthcare

July 07, 2022 20:13 - 18.7 MB

Healthcare simulation has evolved: it's not just mannequins in pretend operating rooms with clinicians role-playing a scenario

When Virtual Isn’t Good Enough, And Patients Refuse to Come In

May 19, 2022 09:00 - 15 minutes - 27.7 MB

Find out how to respond when patients decline recommendations around virtual care. The AMC PSO patient safety alert, called Informed Patient Refusal in Virtual Care, includes a review of likely malpractice allegations and contributing factors. Safety Net interviews one of the co-authors, Dr. Adrienne Allen, Senior Director of Quality, Safety and Sustainability at North Shore Physicians Group Mass General Brigham Salem.

In Malpractice Claims Connected to Diagnosis, Nurses Are Accountable

March 30, 2022 09:00 - 9 minutes - 16.9 MB

A new study shines light on nursing's role in malpractice claims and preventing diagnostic error. In 62 percent of the cases that involved a communication problem among providers, the patient died.

Fighting Discrimination in the Health Profession at Harvard

February 28, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutes - 34.9 MB

Micro-aggressions. Sexual harassment. Discrimination. On this episode of Safety Net, a special roundtable of health care experts looks at the legal and ethical dynamics behind conflicts over discrimination and harassment among colleagues and staff. What's happening in the Harvard medical system, as a national movement and local lawsuits press institutions to change?

Malpractice Data Tell a Story… So Do the People Who Use Them

February 03, 2022 10:00 - 9 minutes - 17.1 MB

Each year, thousands of misdiagnosed cancers, technical errors in surgery, and other harm events are added to a national database of medical malpractice claims, and a benchmarking report is released to the public. This year, instead of only describing the significance of the trends and numbers, the sponsoring organization from the Harvard system, Candello, is releasing a report that describes real stories of tangible change arising from those numbers.

Malpractice Data Tell a Story…So Do the People Who Use Them

February 02, 2022 09:30 - 17.1 MB

Harvard’s national database of coded medmal claims leads to changes across the country.

Hospitalists Face Worsening Malpractice Climate

October 27, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutes - 21.2 MB

Dr. Adam Schaffer, a hospitalist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital & Senior Clinical Analytics Specialist at CRICO is lead author of a study on the topic published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine in June 2021.

Harvard Hospitals Turn to Trusted Friend to Find Vulnerabilities

September 29, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutes - 14 MB

Understanding its own risks and patient care vulnerabilities is vital to a health organization, but gaining that understanding is hard. Hospital leaders in the Harvard system are enthusiastic about outside risk assessments from CRICO, because the recommendations that come out are tangible, with no punitive component.

Back To Court after COVID-19: Uncertainty and a Back Seat for Malpractice Cases

August 24, 2021 09:00 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MB

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the legal system since the pandemic interrupted normal operations in Spring of 2020. In Massachusetts, trials were suspended, and all non-emergency court business stopped. Long-time medical malpractice defense attorney Richard Riley of Murphy & Riley, PC in Boston explains the uncertainty of the litigation landscape as courts try to reopen for trial in the Bay State. Hint: medical malpractice cases have lower priority than their criminal counterparts.

New Age of 45 for General Colorectal CA Screening

July 22, 2021 09:00 - 16 minutes - 30.4 MB

Lowering the age for asymptomatic colon cancer screening from 50 to 45 suggests some important changes for physician practices. Joining us to talk about this change and more is Dr. Joseph Feuerstein, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and an advisor for “Prevention and Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer: A Decision Support Tool,” previously developed through CRICO.

Newborn Body Cooling Safety and Efficacy Moves Forward

June 30, 2021 09:00 - 7 minutes - 12.9 MB

Making baby cooling safe and available to the infants who need it is moving beyond 2016 recommendations from the AMC PSO, to new advancements. A regional registry of babies considered for therapeutic hypothermia is yielding new insight into how treatment can be delivered more effectively, safely, and consistently to prevent lifetime disabilities.

Lowering the Risk of Moving Patients to a Different Hospital

May 27, 2021 09:00 - 6 minutes - 12.3 MB

One of the lesser-known safety risks for hospitals is the transfer of a patient from one facility to another. A new guidance document attempts to make inter-hospital transfers safer.

Cures Act Opens Clinical Notes to Patients

April 26, 2021 09:00 - 8 minutes - 16.5 MB

New federal law gives patients access to almost everything in their medical record, including clinical notes. It allows for a different kind of partnership between patients and providers where they are co-producing the outcome. This may be good for both patient safety and risk management.

Help For Optimizing Care and Preventing Risk With Virtual Visits

March 30, 2021 09:00 - 16 minutes - 29.4 MB

A new guide called Patient Safety Guidance for the Virtual Visit: Managing Risk in a New Care Setting is available free online. It was produced by the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization, and covers a range of issues from the first decision to engage in a virtual visit with a patient, to the follow-up needed to close important loops, and even quality improvement measures. Dr. Philip Ciampa, task force member, walks through some of the key points.

Hospital Fights to Head off Care Disparities During Pandemic

February 25, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 26.1 MB

For vulnerable and under-served communities, patient safety and quality care were at added risk from the COVID-19 pandemic. At Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, an established team for care equity and diversity knew early on in the pandemic that they had a lot of work to do.

The Earlier the Better: More MedMal Insurers Offer Real-Time Support After Patient Harm

January 29, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutes - 24.3 MB

The goal of these new early resolution and communication programs isn't just transparency, but early and added involvement from the insurer and the health institution. And it almost doesn't matter if there was any negligence. It also doesn't seem to lead to more lawsuits and higher costs.

Clinicians are Far from Alone During a Lawsuit

January 28, 2021 10:00 - 6 minutes - 5.6 MB

The defendant is the single most important witness at trial. In many cases, the outcome of a trial will come down to whether or not the jurors like and trust the defendant. For this reason, defense attorneys and malpractice insurers are offering defendant clinicians more support services to prepare for testimony and cope with stress.

Getting Clinicians in Lawsuits to Care for Themselves is Hard

January 25, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.23 MB

How a clinician is coping with the impact of being sued can be a significant factor in how effective he or she is as a defendant. But getting clinicians to accept help is often a challenge.

Getting Clinicians in Lawsuits to Care for Selves is Hard

January 25, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.23 MB

How a clinician is coping with the impact of being sued can be a significant factor in how effective he or she is as a defendant. But getting clinicians to accept help is often a challenge.

The Pain and Reward of Delivering Palliative Care During COVID-19

December 18, 2020 16:09 - 34.1 MB

Excellent palliative care is inherently challenging; pandemic conditions make it harder

The Pain and Reward of Delivering Palliative Care During COVID

December 17, 2020 10:00 - 18 minutes - 34.1 MB

Excellent palliative care is inherently challenging. Over-capacity hospitals and a shortage of palliative specialists that pre-dated the COVID crisis have led to some improvisation and innovation. An expert practitioner from the Metro DC area shares his personal experience and some insights that might help improve communication between any specialist and their patients.

Word to the Wise: Misuse of Language in Clinical Communication Causes Harm

November 23, 2020 10:00 - 13 minutes - 24.2 MB

Misuse of language can have serious clinical consequences. It can also leave patients and families with a bad impression or misunderstandings. We invited two physicians who authored a JAMA Perspective on the topic to explain what worries them and what doesn't, when it comes to the misuse of words in medicine.

COVID-19 Threatens Primary Care

October 28, 2020 09:00 - 8 minutes - 14.7 MB

Many health care practices are under financial duress from the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is affecting access to care. Televisits can't do it all. A Massachusetts consortium of public and private entities surveyed nearly 400 practices of various sizes and specialties in late spring and early summer 2020. How all hands on deck isn't necessarily a great patient safety strategy during the pandemic.

Is This Case Likely to Close with a Payment?

September 11, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 20.9 MB

New research shows a link between the presence of three common factors in malpractice cases and the likelihood they will end up in a payment to the plaintiff. Look out for documentation deficiencies, lack of a protocol or failure to follow one, and patient assessment issues.

Malpractice Defendants Cool Their Heels During COVID-19

August 11, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 21 MB

Becoming a defendant in a malpractice lawsuit is often a long-term proposition under ordinary times. During this COVID-19 pandemic, the courts are struggling, and prioritizing: criminal trials first, then civil trials in Massachusetts, where a slow return to trials in September.

Telemedicine in the COVID-19 Era

July 15, 2020 09:00 - 15 minutes - 27.7 MB

Telehealth, or virtual health care is more popular than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic has seen to that. Two national telemedicine leaders share their expertise on the patient safety and risk management issues related to virtual visits, and how has the pandemic affected all of this.

Health Providers: "What We're Going Through Now is Not Normal"

May 29, 2020 16:15 - 17.9 MB

COVID Not Normal For Providers

Health Providers: “What We’re Going Through Now is Not Normal”

May 28, 2020 09:00 - 9 minutes - 17.8 MB

COVID-19 has dragged thousands of doctors and nurses into front-line wards across the country to pitch in. What is the impact on these providers now and in the future? And does all of this have implications for patient safety?

New MA Law Gives Health Providers Less to Worry About During COVID-19

April 29, 2020 09:00 - 8 minutes - 15.8 MB

As the COVID-19 crisis continues for hospitals and providers, the State of Massachusetts passed a new law with some protections from liability. Beth Cushing, CRICO's SVP of Claims, explains how the Harvard malpractice insurer joined leaders across the state to craft a fair legal response to the public health crisis.

Harvard MedMal Program Responds to COVID-19: No-Cost Added Coverage, Faster Application

April 20, 2020 09:00 - 7 minutes - 13.7 MB

A special edition of CRICO's regular podcast describes how Harvard's malpractice liability insurance program, CRICO, is giving providers extra coverage without extra premiums during the crisis. Telemedicine, retired volunteers, etc., find a streamlined coverage process online, starting on CRICO's dedicated COVID-19 page.

A Movement and Its Future after 20 years: Patient Safety Leader Retires, Looks Ahead

April 14, 2020 15:15 - 22.9 MB

A patient safety leader retires, looks back, and prescribes a data-heavy future to manage risk and promote safety.

A Movement and Its Future After 20 Years: Patient Safety Leader Retires, Looks Ahead

April 13, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 22.9 MB

What has the patient safety movement achieved over the past 20 years, and what lies ahead? An exit interview with one of its longest leaders as he retires and pushes hard on the use of data analytics.

Are You My Doctor? Cards Help Patients

March 09, 2020 09:00 - 10 minutes - 19.6 MB

It's easy to see how patients become confused and dissatisfied in a busy healthcare environment. Multiple risks to patient safety may lie in this scenario; trust, adherence, follow-through, and patient engagement are all on the line. One Harvard graduate and researcher thinks a lot of this can be cleaned up and made safer with a simple card that a physician hands to a patient when they first meet.

Clinician Burnout: EHR Should Help, Not Hurt

January 28, 2020 10:00 - 9 minutes - 17.9 MB

Too many healthcare providers are burning out on the job. Electronic health records are a big culprit, and Harvard's patient safety and malpractice company has started a call to action.

Preventing Breast Cancer Diagnosis Fails with Women 40-49

November 20, 2019 20:12 - 632 MB Video

Breast cancer is the leading cause of non-cutaneous cancer death among women between the age of 45–60.

Harvard Researcher: Hospitals Can Do Better Diagnosing Deadly Sepsis

October 23, 2019 09:00 - 9 minutes - 16.8 MB

Sepsis is common and it's deadly. It accounts for five percent of the patients admitted to the hospital and a third of hospital deaths. The worry: sepsis is often difficult to detect, giving rise to dangerous clinical outcomes and liability.