Cancer screening and early detection: managing malpractice risk.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this report is to educate healthcare professionals about the legal risks of conducting cancer screening examinations and necessary risk reduction practices.


BACKGROUND
The authors describe the elements of a medical malpractice claim, the healthcare professionals' legal standard of care, theories of malpractice liability, common factors related to missed or delayed diagnoses, malpractice defenses, and risk reduction practices.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and social workers, have been shown to be clinically effective in cancer screening, and early detection of many cancers leads to improved long-term survival rates. Healthcare professionals who conduct cancer early detection examinations and counsel patients in cancer screening programs need to be aware of the common legal theories under which lawsuits are brought related to cancer detection examinations. Important steps in reducing the risk of malpractice include developing creative strategies to address the theories of liability in the area of cancer screening and early detection; keeping abreast of changes in national and international cancer screening recommendations; monitoring the literature for approaches to decrease liability; and scrupulously maintaining documentation of all findings and interactions among providers and between providers and patients.
Northern Illinois University School of Nursing, DeKalb, USA.
M
M
Frank-Stromborg
L J
LJ
Bailey
D003675:Defensive Medicine; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012308:Risk Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States