Non-Clinical Support » Legal and Medico Legal issues

Preventive Measures: How to avoid Litigation

Prevention at the personal level

Professionalism: True and Medical Council of India (MCI)-approved qualification, and training and experience at recognized centres are the primary safeguards against any litigation. The prescription heads, signboards and advertisements should mention the actual facilities available. Doctors should refrain from claims of guaranteed results.

Communication: This is the golden key to the doctor-patient relationship. Increasing numbers of patients and improper communication to patients about diagnostic and treatment procedures; complications; and claims of guaranteed success are the main reasons for patient dissatisfaction.

So it is desirable for us to give our behaviour a human face with a sympathetic attitude. We must answer all queries of the patients and their relatives patiently and without getting irritated. We should not be averse to any demand/suggestion for a second opinion by patients and their relatives. The right of patients and their relatives to seek explanation about the bill should not be denied.

Interpersonal behaviour: The human face of medical care decides the reaction of the patient or attendant to a medical mishap/untoward reaction. The whole system of the medical establishment should make and effort to be courteous, and polite. HRD experts should impart special training to staff about dealing with patients/relatives who may be under grievous mental stress due to some loss/injury.

Academic and technical upgradation: To keep pace with the fast changing scenario caused by technical advances in medicine, one should regularly attend CMEs. Workshops and other academic sessions should also be organized to upgrade junior staff and the nursing team. It is mandatory for every medical practitioner to keep himself generally informed about mainstream changes in diagnosis, treatment and current practices through books and regular CME.

Medical ethics and laws: A thorough knowledge of medical ethics and laws is essential for all medical professionals. Unless we know about something we cannot improve/correct our practice standards. We should always try to get feedback from our patients about our setup, our staff, charges, etc. This will give us pointers about further improvement/improvisation in our practice standards.