Re: elective ultrasound photos of their unborn babies
From: Allen Worrall (jworrall@alaska.net)
Tue Apr 26 09:40:06 2005
I tape the complete exam for the patient if they wish. If they bring a VHS
tape, we pop it into the consumer VCR at the start of the exam and it runs
during the entire exam. There is no audio on the patient's tape. If they did
not bring a tape, we can sell them one for $6.00 cash.
I do not worry about being sued because something was seen on the tape that
I did not see. I think the tape will show that I did a good, prolonged,
careful, systematic examination of the baby. If the patient's BMI was 52
(yesterday I scanned such a pregnant patient) the tape will show the quality
of the imaging that I had to deal with.
I do the scans myself, no sonographer. A radiologist who interprets an exam
done by a sonographer probably would feel that if a tape were made during
the scan, he or she (the radiologist) would have to review that tape before
releasing it to the patient. I can understand that, and I can understand
that that would take just too much time.
Allen
Joseph A Worrall MD RDMS
OB/GYN Ultrasound at the Fairbanks Clinic
Fairbanks, AK 99701
http://www.obgynsono.com
>----- Original Message -----
From: "James Smeltzer" <James.Smeltzer@wellstar.org>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ULTRASOUND" <ultrasound@dns.obgyn.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 5:43 AM
Subject: Re: elective ultrasound photos of their unborn babies
> .. If I am ever sued I HOPE that there is a full record. THE STANDARD
> OF CARE IS TO LOOK, NOT TO SEE! If a problem is there and obvious and I
> missed it - the only question is how much is it worth. Else a total
> record is my best defense that I did my job, IMHO.
>
> BTW The best risk management is to concentrate on doing what is best
> for the patient & not giving them the opportunity to save their medical
> record when you do not is NOT in their best interest by any stretch of
> the imagination. I personally would argue that this is a tort per se.
>
> ;^) Jim
>
> James S. Smeltzer, MD, FACOG, SMFM
> Consultant, Maternal Fetal Medicine
> Wellstar Physicians' Group
> Northwest Women's Care
> 787 Campbell Hill St
> Marietta GA 30060
> James.Smeltzer@wellstar.org
> VM 678-290-3035
> Off 770-528-0260
> Page 404-318-3451
>
>>>> evsono@pipeline.com 4/25/2005 8:19:15 PM >>>
> Risk Management 101. I know i typed Rusk LOL.
>
> art
>
> At Mon, 25 Apr 2005, Virginia421@aol.com wrote:
>>
>>I scan in an OB office and give video tapes of the baby but only a
> tape of
>>the baby moving and never film the exam. If I am having an x-ray do I
> walk out
>>with the x-rays? I am not hiding anything. My exams are of the
> highest quality
>>and I have an excellent track record but I would never film the entire
> exam
>>and give it to the patient.
>
> --
> art fougner, md
>
> "If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere
> else."
> Lawrence Peter Berra
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Confidentiality Disclaimer <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> This email and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential and
> /or
> proprietary information in the possession of WellStar Health System, Inc.
> ("WellStar") and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom
> addressed. This email may contain information that is held to be
> privileged,
> confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the
> reader of
> this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that
> any
> unauthorized access, dissemination, distribution or copying of any
> information
> from this email is strictly prohibited, and may subject you to criminal
> and/or
> civil liability. If you have received this email in error, please notify
> the
> sender by reply email and then delete this email and its attachments from
> your
> computer. Thank you.
> ================================================================
>
