Thursday, August 13, 2009

Should the Hospital be in the case?

I frequently have discussions with lawyers who question the role of a hospital administration expert in their case. They always need clinical (physician and nurse) experts, but often do not realize that an administrator can advise them on whether the hospital belongs in the case as well. Did they follow JCAHO standards? Did they have in place the required policies and did they follow them? Did the physician go through the proper credentialing process and did they have the required experience and training to perform the surgical procedure. While the clinical experts will be helpful, it is important to know whether or not the hospital belongs in the case as well. My review will help clarify this issue and determine if the hospital has followed the standards or if they did not and have some culpability in the matter.