Contemporary Risk Management for Radiologists

Although radiologists want to avoid being sued for malpractice, their primary objective is to treat patients in the best way possible. Good risk management safeguards both patients and radiologists. The main objective is not to wait until an untoward event occurs and then manage it retrospectively, but rather to anticipate what may go wrong or cause an injury, so that it can be avoided. Thus, good risk management is characterized by two words: anticipate and avoid. Although avoiding lawsuits is the apparent objective of risk management, the real objective is to optimize the care and treatment of patients. Potential causes of error and injury must be identified to prevent such problems from occurring so that the conduct of radiologists allows patients to benefit from their knowledge and technology. If radiologic diagnoses and treatment are beyond reproach, then malpractice suits are less likely. The most common and potentially injurious risks that should be anticipated and avoided are closely entwined with radiologic diagnosis, incidental findings, communication of findings to referring physicians, "curbstone consultations," disclosure of and apology for errors, breast density laws, American College of Radiology parameters, radiation exposure, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, electronic health records, and imaging traumatic brain injury with functional MRI. Peer review and the current status of the medical malpractice environment are also relevant. ^©RSNA, 2018.