A growing body of research demonstrates that patients recall and comprehend less than half of what clinicians explain to them. A good way to help confirm your patients’ actual level of understanding is to incorporate the ‘teach back’ (also referred to as the ‘show me’ or ‘closing the loop’ method).

Good communication between hospitalists and primary care physicians at the time of discharge is critical to patient safety and to the reduction of risk.

In 2014, the era of health care reform will fully take effect. The many changes will bring uncertainty to health care providers, as well as patients.

Cobb v. Grant was one of the first California cases to establish two informed consent components: The patient’s right of self-determination (no matter how bad the decision) and the physician’s non-delegable responsibility, due to advanced training, knowledge, and expertise, to adequately communicate information to the patient through the informed consent process that would enable the patient to determine the course of treatment he or she chooses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.