Resource Tag: MALPRACTICE

Suicide risk assessment is a core competency requirement in the residency training of psychiatrists. The purpose of suicide risk assessment is to identify high-risk suicide factors, & available protective factors that inform patient treatment & safety management. The standard of care varies according to state statutory definitions & no single source or authority defines standard […]

For the full book, please see SIEC #2005-0874

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This article describes the general legal issues around clinical malpractice liability & outlines the characteristics of appropriate levels of care with a suicidal patient. Since general risk management choices should be chosen & incorporated into practice well before a crisis situation arises, this article provides a number of different ways that both outpatient & inpatient […]

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This paper reviews research between the years 1984 & 2000 on chronic suicidality among patients with borderline personality disorder. Topics reviewed include completed suicide, acute & chronic suicidality, hospitalization, fear of litigation, & managing chronic suicidality in outpatient therapy. (48 refs)

This chapter discusses important issues involved in the treatment of patients who contemplate & possibly commit suicide. The general priniciples involved in such treatment are summarized, & a review of relevant legal cases is presented. The authors then examine in detail the process of assessment, treatment, & documentation. Additional risk management strategies are also discussed. […]

Seventy-one suicide survivors were surveyed about their perceptions of the clinicians who were treating their loved one at the time of death. Results indicated that survivors share a number of common opinions regarding the mental health care providers treating their loved ones. Several differences existed between survivors who consider lawsuits against mental health care providers […]

Authors from 12 countries (Australia, China, Cuba, Ireland, India, Japan, Lithuania, Russian, South Africa, The Netherlands, Turtle Island & the United States) review the following issues, on which there is no one standard of care worldwide: standards of reasonable & prudent care, responsibility for care, failure to diagnose properly, failure in care, liability & malpractice, […]

This article discusses the need for the documentation of predictive factors for suicide in order to increase the efficacy of early prevention & intervention. The difficulties associated with predicting suicide are explored, & the findings of a prospective study of suicide risk are presented. Identified risk factors include the presence of major depression, alcoholism, schizophrenia, […]

Few people would argue with the general rule that physicians should be held liable for the consequences of negligent medical treatment. Suicide, however, is different because no matter what the failings of the psychiatric treatment, the actions of the patient are the ultimate cause of harm. The question of patient responsibility for their suicidal behaviour […]

This presentation discussed the practice of psychology in the age of managed care. The dilemmas which arise from the clinician’s responsibility for patient care vs. clinical decisions being made by third party payors are outlined. Recent court decisions in the United States are mentioned. It is concluded that clinicians need to understand the managed care […]

This article discusses a verdict by the Connecticut Supreme Court which held that physicians may be liable for the suicide of noncustodial patients in certain circumstances. In this case, Edwards vs. Tardif, the plaintiff presented evidence that the treatment of Edwards fell below accepted standards of care, & offered expert testimony that suicide is a […]

This study examines 77 jail suicide lawsuits in which problems related to key areas of institutional policy & custom are scrutinized. Discusses problems with insufficient staff, inadequate training & supervision, poor jail conditions, lack of written rules & procedures & overcrowding. Concludes that from a policy perspective, the lessons from litigation support the need for […]

Events leading up to the jail suicide of Cheryl Guthrie, a 34-year-old mother of 3 children suffering from mental illness & substance abuse, are detailed to illustrate the desperate need for jail suicide prevention training. The police department sued for the death of Cheryl Guthrie had no policies or procedures for suicide prevention, chose not […]

This clip reports on a Minnesota court case in which it was ruled that a guidance counsellor & the school district could not be sued in the suicide death of a 9th-grade female. The student had told a counsellor she was thinking about killing herself; four months later she did so. The parents claimed the […]