A senior medical practitioner and lawyer, Dr Edward Addo Dankwa, has called on health professionals to prioritise thorough documentation and patient care to prevent legal challenges.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Law, Dr Addo Dankwa highlighted the increasing number of medical negligence lawsuits being filed against healthcare providers and urged his colleagues to take proactive measures to safeguard themselves.
“To my colleague health professionals, we all see what's happening, more [legal cases] are coming. I will just ask that we do our documentation appropriately," he advised.
He emphasised the importance of treating each patient's case as though it could potentially result in legal action, stressing that proper record-keeping could be crucial in defending against claims of malpractice.
"Let's consider every patient, every folder before us, to be a potential legal case, and therefore whatever we are doing, we should document it appropriately," he said.
Dr Addo Dankwa noted that thorough documentation would not only help medical professionals protect themselves but would also make the work of legal counsel easier in case a suit arises.
“We should document it appropriately and be prepared in case something [legal] comes up on it, we will be able to defend ourselves, appropriately. It will make the Counsel’s work easier if we do the right things,” he added.
In addition to sound documentation practices, Dr Addo Dankwa stressed the need for healthcare workers to treat patients with respect and compassion, noting that every medical professional is a "potential patient" themselves.
"We should treat patients well. We should do what we have to do. We should have a full regard for life," he urged.
His remarks come at a time when the medical community in Ghana is facing a rising number of lawsuits related to alleged negligence, prompting discussions on how healthcare providers can better protect themselves and their patients.
Read Also: There should be a minimum standard that constitutes negligence – Senior Medical Officer
Latest Stories
-
How a stale A$17.50 cookie sparked a social media storm
18 mins -
Catholic Church to lead protest walk against galamsey on Oct. 11
25 mins -
87% of petroleum sector players cite foreign currency acqisition as biggest challenge in meeting payment obligations – Report
2 hours -
Organised Labour, our only hope for the voiceless in the Galamsey fight. (Part II)
2 hours -
GPL 2024/25: Hearts held at home against Aduana
2 hours -
Lands Ministry receives petition from #FreeTheCitizens protestors
3 hours -
Vision Foundation make medical donation to Manhean Polyclinic
4 hours -
Gen Z highlife singer Yaw Darling making waves with hit single
4 hours -
Organised labour can’t call off intended strike if demand isn’t met – Labour expert
4 hours -
MTN Ghana unveils tailored services for oil and gas sector at Local Content Conference
5 hours -
Ghana’s Economic recovery a major reason for our return- Virgin Atlantic Airlines
5 hours -
Eric Atta-Sonno: Preserving the beach fronts of Cape Coast: A reflection on our values
5 hours -
Small-scale miners seek engagements with gov’t, organised labor on measures to deal with illegal mining
5 hours -
Choose competence over religious considerations – Napo tells electorate
5 hours -
How much time is more time? – UTAG sceptical of Akufo-Addo’s assurance to act on galamsey demands
5 hours