Thanks, Kevin, for the trust and recognition implicit in inviting me to guest blog here. Yours was one of the first medblogs I found and it is a great place to keep up.
Jury returns $640,000 medical malpractice verdict
It is hard to tell from this brief article what the details of the case were. On one hand, it is frustrating to see physicians sued when a known risk, for which the patient was consented, occurs. It is even more frustrating when the jury finds for the plaintiff.
OTOH, failure to provide adequate DVT prophylaxis would usually be a deviation from SOC. As a hospitalist, I am frequently asked to consult on surgical patients for medical management, usually ortho. I will note in my original dictation and each day in my progress note, “DVT prophylaxis per surgeon.” Or they may ask specifically that I manage it.
Again, there is not enough information in this article to judge what type of prophylaxis might have been appropriate.
