When a patient goes to see a doctor, dentist or other medical professional, there is often a computer in the exam room. Electronic health records make the storing of medical histories and treament documentation more efficient and more accessible. However, the misuse of EHRs could leave medical providers vulnerable to medical malpractice lawsuits, according to MDNews,com. When medical malpractice arises, EHRs are discoverable in a lawsuit.
EHRs record date and time of medical care activities through the audit trail function. If a doctor leaves data off a patient’s chart after treatment, the audit trail function records everything.
EHRs also document when a physician mistakenly cuts and pastes information from one patient to another patient’s charts. When a patient’s chart has the wrong information, the patient may be provided the wrong medication or diagnosis. Inaccurate or conflicting patient records may be cause for a medical malpractice action.
Last, EHRs record when a doctor reviews a patient’s charts. Medical malpractice may arise if a medical provider such as a doctor or nurse practitioner does not to go over information about a patient before seeing a patient or after receiving test results. Each time a medical provider logs on to the EHR, the time and date gets recorded. Access records can be evidence during trial on whether the doctor or medical staff studied data on a patient’s history while treating a patient.
Not completing a patient record after a patient medical visit or prior to treatment can be used against a Virginia or North Carolina physician. When a medical provider adds missing information after realizing an incomplete EHR, the audit trail function records the time and date. This log can be used against the physician since a patient claiming medical malpractice can discover the omission through requests for document production, or other discovery.
If you or a loved one gets injured by improper medical care, hold medical providers accountable with the assistance of an experienced VA and NC medical malpractice attorneys. To learn more about what to you or a loved one can recover in a malpractice claim, check out our library of online articles devoted to malpractice.
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