Law firms frequently engage specialized medical record review services when handling personal injury, medical malpractice, or mass tort cases. Such services assist attorneys in reading and interpreting complicated medical information, which saves the attorneys time and provides insight into effective case strategies.
However, establishing which medical record review company to work with is not easy, especially when law firms do not know precisely what they want. The tips in this blog should help attorneys limit the most common mistakes law firms or attorneys make while selecting a medical records firm. We also provide some insight regarding the evaluation process to ensure that the evaluation is effective and efficient.
Understanding the Importance of Medical Record Review
Before talking about the mistakes of law firms, it is imperative to explain the importance of medical review records in legal cases. The process of retrieving and reviewing relevant medical records of clients, including, but not limited to, past medical history, previous diagnoses, treatments received, and future prognosis.
Such fast and reliable information is very important in evaluating injury, medical malpractice, and product liability cases. With a competent medical record summary company, all the medical records will be in order with all the relevant documents sorted out for trial preparation.
Common Errors to Avoid When Choosing a Medical Record Review Service
Before opting to work with a medical record review company, certain common mistakes need to be understood in detail that can lead to further complications in your medical data analysis, analysis of the medical data could create an abnormal scenario. Let’s look at some of these mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Failing to Assess the Company’s Experience
In the medical record review services sector clients should often select the lowest bidder not knowing that one of the most significant errors law firms make is failing to properly vet the medical record review services providers.
A special mention could also be made of cases dealing with mass tort, or medical malpractice as case experience counts too. Make sure that the firm has had similar cases in the past to the one you are having with them.
Tip: It will be useful to ask them about how familiar they are with medical case chronologies and deposition summaries. Doing so should hopefully increase your confidence in their level of sophistication regarding your case-specific requirements.
2. Not Prioritizing Efficiency
Time is always of significance at any law firm. Medicine record review delays can create bottlenecks in the trial preparation procedures which can in turn alter the outcome of the case. If you work with a firm that does not consider efficiency while working, then it will take a long time to review the medical documents.
Tip: Choose a medical record review company that allows customers to use a secure online portal to access and interact with the firm – this translates to faster reviews of the medical records in question.
3. Overlooking the Need for Accurate Record Organization
A coherent structure of medical files is essential to write and comprehensively understand the summary of medical case history. If the documents are poorly commissioned, some elements can be missed and, a medical review organization without orientation will ignore them.
Tip: Use a company that specializes in medical records management and adheres to the best practices of record keeping. The availability of a clear and concise medical case history guarantees effective case interpretations.
4. Failing to Ensure Compliance with HIPAA
Due to the nature of the content contained within a medical record, medical record review services need to be provided with the assurance that they conform to HIPAA laws. If this assurance is missing, legal problems such as lack of confidentiality can arise.
Tip: It is in your best interest to ensure that your provider has the necessary safeguards in place. Contracts and agreements should be signed only to leave you certain of the measures in place to ensure the discretion of the patients they are seeking to help.
Also, if sensitive online portals are being used to exchange documents, ensure that your provider has the necessary measures in place to provide discretion.
5. Ignoring the Importance of Medical Case Chronologies
In writing a client’s life story through their medical history, a chronology of their medical cases comes in handy. Clinics make the blunder of disregarding medical history reviews with special reliance on chronologies. This in turn makes it difficult for them to grasp the breadth of the condition afflicting the client.
Tip: Make it a point to check that any medical record review services for law cases include a strategy that utilizes comprehensive medical case chronologies as one of its services.
This is because, in personal injury and medical malpractice cases, failure to establish a convincing timeline can be detrimental to one’s case.
6. Not Reviewing Medical Record Review Mistakes
There is no worse thing: united we stand, divided we fall, and every single member of a team must seek the same destination – committal to the cause. And for that matter, mistaking reviews for recording medical record reviews is unjust.
The main purpose as such is to guard against false perceptions and prejudged assumptions that lead to simplistic answers, not due analysis.
Tip:
- Overall, I would recommend you contact a medical record review firm that is known for accuracy and traditional practices.
- This is vital as a simple error of fact based on an erroneous conclusion can completely alter the validity of your case.
- Before you decide to look at past client reviews to see if the firm has a reputation for providing an error-free account.
7. Overlooking the Importance of Deposition Summaries
Deposition summaries are critical to the rights of the lawyers during their communication with witnesses before a trial. Law companies often ignore the need for a deposition chart review summary which results in the loss of defeating elements that could in turn benefit them during the trial.
Tip: The firm needs to make use of deposition summaries during case preparation before the trial. They help an expert prepare chart review deposition summaries derived from medical record reviews.
Best Practices for Selecting the Right Medical Record Review Service
While choosing the medical record review company, see that it will be able to do it for a considerable time. Some benefits of teaming up with well-known companies include more effective communication, higher productivity, as well as thorough knowledge about the specific requirements of your firm.
1. Look for a Partner, Not Just a Service
While choosing the medical record review company, see that it will be able to do it for a considerable time. Some benefits of teaming up with well-known companies include more effective communication, higher productivity, as well as thorough knowledge about the specific requirements of your firm.
Tip: Search for applications that help in overlapping efforts, in addition, consider working jointly with a medical record review company, as it will improve the workflow organization of your case over time.
2. Prioritize Clear Communication and Transparency
While collaborating with clients for medical record review services, it is important to define the scope of work and discuss with the service provider the means of communication before, during, and after the review. Then, particularly for the taking of medical history taking, a contractor is necessary.
Tip: It is imperative that the provider you select has effective communication skills and gives periodic reports of the status of the medical record reviewing process.
Conclusion
The importance of medical record review services in the practice of law cannot be overstated. By on the other points that are often overlooked and paying further attention, clients will be assured that the medical record reviews conducted about their cases are done correctly, comprehensively, and in an orderly manner.
The right partner is the one that will be helpful whatever the cases at hand are; be it mass tort, personal injury, or medical malpractice, everything will hinge on the preparation and outcomes post-trial.
FAQ Section
What is a medical record review service?
A medical record review service entails studying a client’s medical documentation to extract pertinent information such as the history of illness, present history, history of treatment, and the outlook of the illness that is relevant for legal matters.
Why is partnering with a medical record review company important for law firms?
Collaboration with a professional medical record review company enables timely and precise medical record assessment which saves time as well as decreases the chances of errors which results in favorable outcomes in legal cases.
What are medical case chronologies?
Medical case chronologies are a sequence of physiological abnormalities, treatments, and processes performed on the client to make it easier for lawyers to comprehend and articulate aspects of the case in court.
Should you wish to have thorough well-arranged and precise reviews of medical records within your law firm, do give us a call! Let us talk about how else we can provide more efficient services to you as you carry on with your casework.
