The duty of the hospitalist does not end when a patient leaves the hospital, and all patients should be specifically advised regarding the importance of follow-up appointments with their primary care physicians. Inadequate communication with the primary care doctor regarding the patient’s hospital course and follow-up plans can create liability for the hospitalist should something go wrong post discharge.
Malpractice carriers and others have developed various mnemonics to assist the hospitalist. A handy one is the five P’s for Patient, Plan, Purpose, Problems, and Precautions. Another more elaborate mnemonic is PASS the BATON, which stands for Patient (identification), Assessment (e.g., complaints, diagnosis), Situation (e.g., response to treatment, code status), Safety (e.g., lab results, falls), Background (e.g., relevant past history), Actions (what’s done and what’s needed), Timing (urgency and priority), Ownership (who is responsible) and Next (plans to come).
This column, Law & Medicine, appears regularly in Internal Medicine News. Dr. Tan is emeritus professor at the University of Hawaii. This article is meant to be educational and does not constitute medical, ethical, or legal advice. It is adapted from the author’s book, "Medical Malpractice: Understanding the Law, Managing the Risk" (2006). For additional information, readers may contact the author at siang@hawaii.edu.