Risk management: role of the medical record department.

Good record-keeping practices contribute to the high quality of the medical record. Is the medical staff actually aware of the multiple uses of the medical record today as opposed to only a few years ago? This is all in keeping with multiple requirements for accreditation, state licensing requirements, hospital medical staff rules and regulations, and a more aggressive consumer. Physicians and attorneys alike depend on the documentation in the medical record to support their case. An independent detailed recollection of the case by caregivers without use of the medical record would be extremely difficult. Nothing can take the place of an accurate account of the patient's care in the medical record. Defense in the absence of supporting documentation would be very weak, if not lost. It is clear that inadequate or incomplete medical records expose the physician and the hospital to risk. Hospital rules and regulations should be strictly enforced to enhance patient care and to avoid potential legal action. If documentation problems are identified, utilize the medical staff committees for recommendations and action. Medical records are an integral part of patient care responsibility and should be treated as such. The medical record is a legal document that is the most reliable record of care rendered to the patient. In legal settings, the record will be scrutinized by expert witnesses for the plaintiff and the defense. What the records do not contain may be as important as what they do contain when there is an allegation that the patient's condition warranted intervention or action that was not taken.