Hart David Carson LLP on Alternative Dispute Resolutions

(Newswire.net — March 26, 2018) Elmhurst, Illinois — In the healthcare field, malpractice lawsuits are extremely common. As recently as 2016, healthcare analysts pegged the payouts of malpractice claims at nearly $4 billion. Malpractice claims are so common that most medical practitioners have come to accept the risk of a lawsuit as inevitable. Hospitals and healthcare facilities struggle to mitigate those risks, paying millions of dollars in legal fees in addition to successful claims. There is an alternative to malpractice litigation, however. According to the legal professionals at Hart David Carson LLP, a prominent Chicago-area law firm, the “alternative dispute resolution”, or ADR, represents a constructive means of benefitting both providers and their patients alike. “ADRs serve to increase patient safety while reducing litigation costs for practitioners and healthcare facilities,” says a spokesperson for the business law-oriented team of attorneys. “It can ward off the risks of malpractice suits when something goes wrong during treatment, and helps prevent similar events in the future.” To learn more about the role and benefits of ADRs in the healthcare environment, visit http://hartdavidcarson.com/benefits-adr-healthcare-providers.html.

When a procedure or treatment protocol results in a negative effect on the part of the patient, the treatment facility and/or healthcare provider may attempt to obscure or discount the nature of their involvement in a procedure that had an undesirable outcome. This is often done to protect the provider’s and facility’s interests in the case of a lawsuit. Patients often feel that their only resource is to file a malpractice claim to determine what went wrong during the procedure and who or what is responsible for the injury received.

In contrast with malpractice lawsuits, an ADR establishes a setting where more transparency is the goal. Disclosure on the part of the provider through the mediation or resolution provided by this alternative mechanism can help both affected parties reach a mutually-beneficial conclusion. ADRs encourage doctors and their patients to discuss issues honestly, including the details of what went wrong and how similar situations can be avoided in the future. With this openness and honesty on both sides of the issue, fair resolutions are possible without resorting to malpractice litigation. ADRs have other benefits for patients and healthcare providers as well. The actions a healthcare facility and its staff take after an ADR can often lead to improved patient safety, helping to mitigate the risks of certain treatments and procedures. ADRs and their outcomes can also improve hospital conditions, and may even serve to drive down costs of procedures because they have reduced the reliance on expensive litigation. Hart David Carson LLP knows that both parties in a malpractice claim may have high expenses, and there is no guarantee of a favorable outcome for either party. “If an ADR can result in an out-of-court settlement, this mechanism is financially beneficial for both doctor and patient,” adds the law firm’s spokesperson. For more information on the firm and their expert legal services, visit http://hartdavidcarson.com/index.html.