Perceptions of responsibility for clinical risk management – evidence from orthopaedics practitioners, practice managers and patients in an Australian capital city

Authors

S. Andrew, Griffith University
M. Barrett, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

16225

Publication Details

This article was originally published as Andrews, S & Barrett, M, Perceptions of responsibility for clinical risk management - evidence from orthopaedics practitioners, practice managers and patients in an Australian capital city, Journal of Law and Medicine, 11(1), 2003, 47-58.

Abstract

The paper describes a study of three groups: patients, orthopaedic surgeons and the surgeons’ practice managers, concerning three types of legal risk associated with duty of care: failure to follow up, failure to warn and failure to diagnose. The study found there is cause for concern about doctors’ follow-up and documentation of patient care. Doctors may be unaware of the Australian courts’ propensity to emphasise practitioner responsibility rather than patient autonomy. A further important result is the considerable disparity between doctors’ views and the views of their practice managers. The paper draws implications for improved risk awareness and further research.