Recent blog posts

Patients have the right to keep their health records private and to know if their information is shared with others. Generally, a healthcare provider may only release an individual’s information with written consent, unless the information is critical for any treatment the patient will receive or if necessary to protect the public at large. In today’s technological world, the majority of patient data is stored in hospital or clinic systems and software. While certainly an efficient manner of securing information, technologies’…

Illinois is one of 33 states that has legalized medical marijuana. While such legalization has expanded the ways to address patient pain, it has left physicians in the tricky position of determining whether to prescribe a substance that, while legal at the state level, still faces a federal ban. The question physicians face now is whether their license may be put in jeopardy, even if cannabis is approved for medical use. The answer, of course, is “it depends.” The risk to physicians is…

The quick answer is yes, but you must follow strict guidelines as set forth in your Act and Rules. We take no position on whether veterinarians should allow chiropractors, physical therapists, medical orthopedic or plastic surgeons to “crossover” into veterinary medicine. Instead, veterinarians should be aware of the risks and responsibilities of asking a healthcare provider, who is licensed to treat only human ailments, for assistance in a veterinary medical case. There are six sections of the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 (“Act”) and the Rules…

Electronic health records (EHRs) make information related to patient-centered records available instantly and securely, containing patient medical history, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans that greatly assist with overall diagnosis and treatment. However, missing, incomplete, or ineligible documents may hurt patient care and be used as evidence if a patient claims negligent treatment. In order to best protect yourself, here is advice on how to ensure properly maintained EHRs: Understand How the Data is Tracked Each time someone at the practice or hospital goes into…

Healthcare providers encounter difficult patients throughout their careers. Patients often experience high levels of stress and anxiety over their health, and those emotions don’t always stay in check. Such interactions test you as an Illinois medical professional. That’s especially true when you have a duty to remain respectful and composed to protect the integrity of the patient-physician relationship. So how should you handle disrespectful patients without putting your license at risk? [Related: Can Physician Burnout Lead to Action Against a Doctor’s Medical License?] How To…

Medical adherence is the act of taking medication as prescribed by a physician, which involves taking the proper dose, at the correct time, and for the recommended length of time. In order to achieve the full benefit of medications, patients need to adhere to prescribed treatment regimens. Patient non-adherence can result in adverse consequences to a patient’s health and result in additional medical costs and physician visits. Why would a patient willingly not adhere to a medication treatment meant to provide help?…

Artificial Intelligence has come into everyone’s life in one way or another over the past decade. One of the fastest growing areas using this new technology is the healthcare industry. There have been many advancements over the years and new ways of using it coming out every day. These advancements have even come into light with physicians using data they receive from wearables like smartwatches. Companies like Microsoft and Apple have entire teams dedicated to healthcare. The teams create software that give customers and…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come into everyone’s life in one way or another over the past decade. One of the most significant growth areas using this new technology is the healthcare industry. There have been many advancements over the years, and new ways of using it come up every day. These advancements even arrive on the surgical side of a physician’s practice. Robots empowered with AI have been used to assist surgeons in performing intricate surgeries. These robots limit the amount of human…

Over the past decade, artificial intelligence (“AI”) has entered everyone’s life in one way or another. The healthcare industry is one of the most significant growth areas for this technology. There have been many advancements over the years, and new ways of using it arrive every day. The advancements, in large part, enter the medicine side of a physician’s practice. One area of advancement with AI in medicine is diagnostics. Computers have been able to use data from around the world to diagnose…

Patient-centric care is what our healthcare system has moved towards, but when is that too far? What happens when patients start to tell doctors how they want their treatment plan to look? As patients gain more and more access to information, they may become a more informed “customer”; this can be both good and bad. Patients can have a better understanding of what their issue is, but, their informal knowledge does not replace a medical/osteopathic degree. One of the ways patients are starting…