Hospitals, ERs, and clinics can sometimes be frenetic and unsettled places. For patients and their loved ones, these healthcare environments can be frustrating and a time-consuming. Patients must tell their story multiple times, in some cases to a receptionist, a tech, a nurse, and then finally to the doctor. For their part, healthcare workers are often asked to perform complicated cognitive tasks that frequently require their undivided attention. But too often they’re interrupted by phone calls, pages, other doctors’ and nurses’ requests and questions, problems with medical equipment, monitor alarms, as well as patients and their families. These constant disruptions throughout their day can interfere with their already demanding workload and may lead to mistakes in patient treatment.
These distractions are a common source of potential mistakes in treatment. Research shows that high levels of distraction in healthcare are a constant threat to patient safety. Moreover, new technologies have increased the number and types of distractions present in these settings. Many events were classified as medication errors, followed by errors related to procedures, treatments, or tests, resulting in patient harm. Many reports in this research specifically mention distractions from phones, computers, or other technologic devices as contributing to errors.
These interruptions have consequences in delivering safe and high-quality healthcare delivery. A study on healthcare workers’ distractions saw that interrupted tasks were completed more efficiently and in less time than if the task hadn’t been interrupted. The research suggests that these healthcare workers were rushing—this makes them susceptible to omissions and other types of mistakes.
What are the Main Sources of Interruptions and Distractions?
As you must suspect, the sources of interruptions most frequently involve people, such as other healthcare staff, patients, and visitors. Other common distractions are caused by computers, monitors, infusion pumps, and phones.
The sources of distractions can be auditory—beeping alarms on monitors, conversations, intercom messages… or visual—forms and paperwork, other patients’ needs, or lighting. These interruptions happen for many reasons, but usually it’s one of these:
In fact, surveys show health professionals think phone calls and patient requests create the greatest number of interruptions and distractions for them. However, research says that self-induced interruptions (caused by the health professionals themselves), such as starting conversations with others—are a more frequent cause.
In addition, with ubiquitous cellphones, health professionals may be tempted to make personal calls, send texts, or watch some TikTok videos at work. Plus, younger staff may be more susceptible to these distractions because they’ve be raised with constant connection.
What are the Medical Malpractice Implications?
For most healthcare providers, distractions and interruptions are just part of the job description. With that being the case, frequently, many clinical decisions are made quickly and independently—this can mean insufficient consideration is given to the patient’s best interests and lead to mistakes.
As a result, a healthcare professional may act or fail to act appropriately in the treatment of a patient which causes injury. Some of the types of events that contribute to or result in patient injury or harm include the following:
In litigation, the difference between clinical distractions and those unrelated to treatment is significant.
If a patient claims that a mistake was caused by a healthcare professional being distracted, of it’s the result of an activity concerning clinical care, this may be found to be within the standard of care. As a result, it may be more likely to be defensible. However, if a patient can demonstrate that the distraction was caused by non-patient matters, an experienced medical malpractice attorney will be able to build a stronger case for recovery. For example, cell phone records will be examined to find the details of usage and how this impacted the patient’s care and treatment by the healthcare professional.
Contact Us
Disruptions and distractions in healthcare are a real threat to patient safety and physician well-being. If you believe you’ve been harmed by a distraction or interruption in your care as a patient, you should speak with an experienced Michigan medical malpractice attorney at Buchanan Firm.
Our firm proudly serves people all across Michigan, including major cities like Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, Lansing, Holland, St. Joe, and Ann Arbor, and rural towns such as Lowell, Ada, Fremont, Newaygo, Grand Haven, Rockford, and Cedar Springs. We will meet you after hours, at home, or in the hospital to accommodate you.
Contact us today.