Medicolegal Issues in Pediatrics

Medical liability continues to be a fact of life for pediatricians. One third of pediatricians will be sued for medical liability over the course of their careers. Pediatricians need to be aware of this fact and take steps to reduce the likelihood of being sued.

Medicolegal Issues in Pediatrics, offers a wide range of medicolegal topics that affect the practice of pediatrics from residency through retirement. It provides pediatricians with detailed information on common pediatric malpractice claims and specific risk management strategies to reduce the threat of being sued and make it easier to defend a claim.

In addition, it explains in simple language the anatomy of a malpractice lawsuit, guidance for coping with malpractice litigation stress, and the basics of professional liability insurance for pediatricians. Resources for managing the specific risks of newborn care, adolescent care, and pediatric emergency medicine are included. New to this edition are chapters on the medicolegal risks associated with the reporting of child abuse and neglect, health care fraud and abuse, and an expanded chapter on patient safety.

Other highlights include:

¨ Telephone and on-call care

¨ Legal issues relating to email, Web sites, and telemedicine

¨ Documentation of pediatric care

¨ Liability for vaccine administration

¨ Testifying as an expert witness

¨ Volunteer activities

• Overview of Medical Liability
• Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit and the Defendent Pediatrician
• Professional Liability Insurance
• Risk Management
• Telephone and On-call Care
• Legal Issues Relating to E-mail, Web Sites, and Telemedicine
• Liability for Vaccine Administration
• Newborn Care
• Adolescent Health Care
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Documenting Pediatric Care
• Medical Liability Experiences of Pediatricians
• Coping with Malpractice Litigation Stress
• Testifying as an Expert Witness
• Resolving Malpractice Disputes Without Litigation: Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Pediatric Patient Safety
• Medical Licensure, Specialty Boards, and Practitioner Data Banks
• Career Transitions: Residency Through Retirement
• Volunteer Activities
• Medical Liability and Child Abuse
• Health Care Fraud, Wast, and Abuse