Saturday 8 September 2012

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal Issues:Supreme Court of Georgia echoed the Illinois decision, albeit with somewhat different wording


Malpractice

  • Every person who enters into a learned profession undertakes to bring to the exercise of his profession a reasonable degree of care and skill. He does not undertake to use the highest possible degree of skill, for there may be persons who, for having enjoyed a better education and greater advantages, are possessed of greater skill in their profession; but he undertakes that he will bring a fair, reasonable, and competent degree of skill…He is not responsible for an error in judgment…if such error arises from the peculiar circumstance of the case, and not from the want of proper care or competent skill on his part.
  • Nearly a half–century later, a state of New York appeals court issued an opinion as to what constitutes the standard of care of a medical physician. Although the lawsuit did not involve radiology, the court decision could have well applied to radiologic interpretation
  • The law requires a physician to possess the skill and learning which is possessed by the average member of the medical profession…and to apply that skill and learning with ordinary reasonable care. He is not liable for a mere error in judgment, provided he does what he thinks is best after a careful examination. He does not guarantee a good result.

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