Waiting for imaging results is always a harrowing time. You are left in the dark until your doctor notifies you of what is found, and you have no idea whether or not your health is at risk. If something abnormal is found, you and your doctor will need to work quickly. This is why timely notification of abnormal imaging results is so important.
Wagner Reese, LLP is an experienced, award-winning Indiana law firm with a focus on medical malpractice cases. We can help you understand patient notification for abnormal imaging results, and why it is so important to move quickly.
Understanding the significance of patient notification for abnormal imaging results:
Patient communication for abnormal imaging findings is an important part of a medical care provider’s job. Depending on what the imaging shows, it could mean quick action is needed to save the patient’s life. Delaying that communication could have devastating consequences.
Explaining the potential implications of delayed or inadequate patient communication.
Imaging is often done to discover possible health issues that would be otherwise unseen or unnoticed. When abnormalities are found, it could be a number of things. It could need to be studied, kept an eye on, or treated.
Keeping that information from the patient means none of these things occur, and in all likelihood, the condition will worsen. The patient’s health could be severely impacted, they will lose time, and they may lose their life.
Highlighting the impact on patient well-being, treatment outcomes, and legal responsibilities.
A medical professional’s top priority is the health and well-being of their patients. That can only be achieved through communication and action, otherwise, you are putting them at risk.
Letting a condition worsen is only going to make it more difficult to treat, impacting the desired outcome. Time is often of the essence, to waste it is going to make things harder on both the doctor and patient.
Negligence like this is malpractice and could leave those responsible open for litigation. If it can be proven that a doctor neglected their duty, then it would be medical malpractice.
Legal considerations and obligations related to patient notification:
Medical care providers do not only have a professional obligation to their patients, but a legal one. If someone is paying a doctor for medical care, it can be reasonably assumed that the care will be provided to the best of their ability.
Discussing relevant laws, regulations, and standards that guide healthcare professionals.
Healthcare professionals are legally required to provide the best treatment they reasonably can offer. This means that when a doctor is negligent or provides substandard treatment, it can be considered medical malpractice. When malpractice causes injury, you can pursue legal compensation.
For example, a doctor may find abnormalities in your lung x-ray but not communicate this to you. If this progresses to lung cancer and earlier treatment could have prevented this, that doctor has committed malpractice. Legally, you can take action against this.
Detailing the potential consequences of non-compliance and legal repercussions.
A medical care provider who knowingly does not comply with this may not only owe their victim a settlement, but may lose their license to practice in the state. It can severely impact a doctor’s reputation.
For you, it can also leave them open to legal consequences. They may owe you a significant amount for the damages you have suffered.
Effective strategies for patient communication:
The best policy to avoid this is clear, open communication with patients. There are some effective strategies to ensure that everyone is kept in the loop, all along the way.
Exploring best practices for delivering abnormal imaging results to patients.
The best practice is to be prompt and concise, alerting patients to abnormalities as soon as possible after discovering them. Keeping your explanation easy to understand yet thorough should ensure that everything is clear with the patient.
Providing tips on conveying complex medical information in a compassionate and understandable manner.
Sometimes you have to deliver bad news. Nobody wants that responsibility, but it is a part of the medical profession. Good bedside manner is vital so that you do not distress your patient more than necessary.
Try to explain the findings the way you would want to hear them, or the way you would explain them to a friend. Different patients will have different personalities, and you should consider the individual as much as possible. Avoid complicated medical jargon, but do not skip over important information. If there is a possible solution, focus on that over pure diagnosis.
Addressing patient emotions and offering support during the notification process.
During the whole process, it is very important to act with compassion. This could be a very traumatic moment for a patient, so a cold demeanor from the party notifying will only make it worse. Be aware of what sort of support you can offer and keep an optimistic attitude, if you can.
Contact Wagner Reese, LLP for legal guidance on patient communication strategies.
The role of technology in patient notification:
The world is rapidly changing, and new technology is constantly affecting the medical field. Keeping abreast of this technology can help you alert patients to abnormalities even faster and clearer.
How medical practices utilize technology and electronic health records for efficient patient communication.
These days, most medical practices utilize digital records to keep up with their patient’s health. Many organizations may have an app or text service so that patients can check their results anytime online. Alerting their phone as soon as new information is available is an excellent way of delivering information as fast as possible.
Potential challenges and risks associated with relying on technology alone.
You cannot entirely rely on each patient to check these devices. Many, particularly the elderly, will be confused by or unable to check any digital records or notifications.
Communicating results is also difficult, particularly if the patient has any questions. While technology can be useful, you cannot rely on it alone.
Wagner Reese, LLP’s focus on medical malpractice law:
Wagner Reese, LLP is an excellent medical malpractice law firm, dedicated to helping you if a delayed diagnosis has affected your life.
Showcasing the firm’s experience in assisting healthcare providers with legal matters, including patient communication.
Wagner Reese was listed among Indiana’s 25 Top Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers by the Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers Association. You can rest assured that we can guide you through any legal situation you may find yourself in regarding malpractice.
Our team will do whatever we can to help you, including with patient communication. Do not leave yourself open to malpractice charges, when you can rely on our guidance.
Highlighting successful case studies or testimonials related to patient notification for abnormal imaging results.
Looking for examples of our client success stories? Below are a few medical malpractice claims we have guided to success:
- $1.137 million for delayed diagnosis of pierced colon
- $90,000 for mistaken biopsy results
- $50,000 for a delayed diagnosis
Explore how Wagner Reese, LLP can assist with medical malpractice cases involving patient notification.
