June • 24 • 2019
A Dose of Insight – Emergency Department Risks: Through the Lens of Liability Claims
Summary
Improving patient safety in EDs will require scrutiny of every step in the patient’s ED journey. It will also require fresh perspectives on how decisions made in the ED impact the entire continuum of care for every patient who passes through its doors. We believe the data holds keys to improved patient safety.
This article belongs to the Coverys series A Dose of Insight ®.
The hospital emergency department (ED) is at the forefront of healthcare delivery. Coverys data shows that EDs are the fourth most common healthcare delivery location to trigger a malpractice claim. This report provides insight into the root causes of claims occurring in the ED based on an analysis of 1,362 ED-related closed medical professional liability claims at Coverys across a five-year period (2014-2018). Our goal is to provide emergency medicine providers and healthcare leaders with fresh perspectives, data-driven insights, and more effective strategies to meet the needs of patients seeking emergency services.
Copyrighted. No legal or medical advice intended. This article includes general risk management guidelines. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal or medical developments. These informational materials are not intended, and must not be taken, as legal or medical advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances.