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The aftershocks associated with adverse medical events, such as a bad outcome, or with a subsequent lawsuit may vary in severity.

Telephonic exchanges can occur between the ophthalmologist and other physicians involved in the care, but most physician-to-physician calls come from the Emergency Department (ED). These calls raise a number of concerns.

It is not uncommon that the first notice of a claim against a physician is an intimidating letter from the patient’s attorney threatening a lawsuit while at the same time offering a settlement. Much of what takes place during the course of litigation causes alarm, anger and anxiety, leading to what is commonly referred to as “the malpractice stress syndrome.”

When we presented the data from our study of diagnostic error at the 2015 OMIC Forum, we asked the ophthalmologists in the audience to vote on what factor contributed the most to diagnostic errors. The choices were: atypical presentations (patient factors), physician’s cognitive process (physician factors), failure to follow up on test results (system issues), or poor communication among healthcare providers (system issues). Most ophthalmologists voted for the two types of system issues.

Young ophthalmologists often join established practices. Non-physician staff at these practices may include licensed team members, such as registered nurses and optometrists, or unlicensed staff, such as technicians and assistants. Young ophthalmologists have called our Hotline worried about over-delegation as well as puzzled when their delegation decisions are seen as risky.

Think about how you employ heuristics in working up patients. Heuristic thinking is based on past experience, and uses mental shortcuts, intuition, and “rule of thumb” to solve problems and make judgments quickly and efficiently. It’s generally used when physicians see a patient with a familiar set of symptoms that fit a recognizable diagnosis.

Plaintiffs who sue for medical malpractice must show that there was a physician-patient relationship that created a legal duty. This article reviews an ophthalmologist’s duty to a patient that may arise from appointments with prospective patients and curbside consults.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for people over 65 years of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). When they happen in physician offices and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), some patients and their families assume that physicians and staff members should have predicted and prevented the fall, and they sue for malpractice.

Over the course of a 35-year career, 95% of ophthalmologists will have at least one claim against them and more than half can expect two or three. Since 1987, OMIC has closed more than 400 claims brought against young ophthalmologists (YOs).