December 1-7, 2011
Reduce Your Malpractice Risk
Are your patient education materials and informed consent documents a liability in your practice? During “Patient Education Check-Up Week,” Dec. 1 to 7, 2011, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and OMIC urge MDs and office administrators to audit all patient education materials and informed consent documents in their offices to ensure they are current. Accurate, timely patient education and informed consent materials can reduce malpractice risk.
How do you know if your patient education materials are current?
Set aside a time for a thorough review of all patient education brochures, informed consent documents and videos, and keep the following tips in mind:
Informed consent documents
- include all possible risks with as much detail as possible;
- include even rare complications so patients are aware;
- are procedure-specific, especially for elective surgeries such as LASIK; and
- document that no guarantee is made regarding outcome of procedure.
Good patient education
- is clear, accurate, up-to-date and thorough;
- avoids misleading statements, such as “eliminate glasses” or “safe and effective”;
- is not overstated and does not instill unrealistic expectations in patient;
- helps improve understanding of consent form risks;
- serves as an “extender” of the oral conversation with patient; and
- is developed by a reliable, professional source.
| Are you using the most current OMIC informed consent documents and Academy patient education products? Review the Patient Education Check-Up Week checklist/order form to ensure your materials are up-to-date. |
Podcast
OMIC Sponsored Session: Why Take the Risk
Listen to the podcast from the Annual Meeting about the value of up-to-date patient information.
