Expertise
Is it Substandard Charting or Fraudulent Charting? Part 2
In Part 1, I explained how you can spot substandard charting. Suspicious charting goes one step further to raise concern about the medical records. Substandard Charting or Fraudulent Charting Trouble: Detailed addenda Healthcare providers may feel compelled to write detailed addenda to the medical record after they learned a patient was injured or was considering…
Read MoreIs it Substandard Charting or Fraudulent Charting? Part 1
The attorney tells you she has a suspicion that the medical record has fraudulent charting. She thinks the medical documentation of healthcare providers may be incomplete, untimely, illegible, or incorrect. You know that substandard documentation may itself result in an untoward outcome for the patient and thus factor into a medical negligence suit. However, what…
Read MoreTampering with Medical Records
Red Flags for Tampering with Medical Records What are the red flag warning signs that someone may have been tampering with medical records? Be suspicious when: the result of the injury is not consistent with the documentation; the plaintiff’s complaints are consistent with the missing information; there is a delay in or an inability to…
Read MoreScreening a fall case for merit
Falls are common in healthcare settings. You can perform an invaluable service by screening a fall case for merit. A fall that results in injury – a fracture, head injury, or paralysis may present an appealing case to a plaintiff attorney. But some attorneys stop and think, “Is this really a good case? Should I…
Read MoreMedical Malpractice Errors
Legal nurse consultants work within the high stakes arena of medical malpractice errors litigation. We are often asked to screen medical malpractice cases for merit – does the case meet the criteria for a winnable case – for the plaintiff or the defendant? Other industries, such as aviation, manufacturing, and energy developed safety interventions needed…
Read MoreScreening a Medication Error Case for Medical Malpractice
A legal nurse consultant may screen a medication error case for merit. The LNC recognizes that is often easiest to screen a case by starting with the damages. What happened as a result of the alleged medication error? Permanent, severe damages have the highest potential for providing compensation, assuming that liability and causation can be…
Read MoreScreening a Medical Malpractice Case for Merit
An LNC and physician explaining a case to the attorney[/caption] You are a legal nurse consultant who is asked to be involved in screening a medical malpractice case for merit. The medical records are in hand; someone has to review them. Who should review them, and in what sequence, depends on numerous factors. When should…
Read MoreThe Medical Records Arrived: What Do You Really Have?
The medical records arrived and it is time to evaluate what type of files you actually received. Electronic medical records or EMRs describe anything from paper records being scanned into a PDF format to an actual EMR. The records can also be a combination of scanned records and computer generated EMR information. True EMRs are…
Read MoreThe Importance of a Degree in Raising the Credibility of a Nursing Expert Witness
Expert witnesses have higher credibility with a degree[/caption]Legal nurse consultants are in demand today, not just for their research and interpretation skills, but also because of their credibility as nursing expert witnesses. LNCs are not required to hold a degree – an RN license and several years of experience should be enough to open up…
Read More3 Tips for Persuasive Legal Nurse Consulting Writing Part 4
If you are a legal nurse consultants, you’ll benefit from being able to write persuasive and analytical reports. Attorneys count on you to be able to clear express your opinion. Follow these tips for persuasive legal nurse consulting writing. Part 3 of this blog post series described ways to break up content. This concluding blog…
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