Abstracts » Health

The expert witness: real issues and suggestions

Article Abstract:

Reform of the legal system regarding the use of medical expert witnesses may be needed. Medical experts are called on by courts of law to provide unbiased expert testimony to inform non-medical jurors and attorneys in physician's malpractice cases of what the accepted standard of care should be for the situation in question. Reform of the use of medical experts may involve peer review of all expert testimony and requiring expert testimony to be submitted in writing. Another reform may be limiting the financial compensation given to expert witnesses. Some medical experts make their living by providing expert testimony, a situation that predisposes them to slant their testimony in favor of the side that has hired them. Appropriate punishments should be given to experts who testify falsely.

Standards, Physicians, Testimony, Malpractice, Medical malpractice, Evidence, Expert, Expert evidence

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Computer-generated admission forms have greater accuracy

Article Abstract:

Computerized hospital admission forms may be more accurate than handwritten admission forms. Researchers compared the accuracy of 560 computerized admission forms to 40 handwritten admission forms submitted by physicians to an urban obstetric triage unit. Computerized admission forms had fewer errors of omission or transcription. Handwritten admission forms averaged 8.3 errors per form, whereas computerized forms had only 0.9 errors per form. Almost all of the handwritten forms had at least one error, compared to 55% of the computerized forms. Seven critical pieces of information were omitted from handwritten forms, versus one on a computerized form. Computerized admission forms may be well suited to obstetrics admissions.

Information management, Hospitals, Obstetrics, Hospital admission and discharge

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Obstetrics and gynecology at the crossroads -- again? Still!

Article Abstract:

Obstetricians and gynecologists should enlarge the scope of their training so they can offer more to women than just reproductive care. These services might be offered to women within the context of a multi-specialty group.

Services, Gynecologists

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