Neurologists for patient safety: where we stand, time to deliver.

Neurologists have a professional opportunity, an ethical responsibility, and sound clinical and economic reasons for engaging in efforts to improve patient safety. Better communication with patients and other providers, closer follow-up of consultation cases, and more focused supervision of trainees will help to reduce current patterns of error and misunderstanding. Patient education with attention to health literacy should improve adherence to management plans and help to bridge transitions of care across providers and sites.

Neurologic patient safety: an in-depth study of malpractice claims.

This in-depth study of neurologic malpractice claims indicated authentic, preventable patient harm in 24 of 42 cases, enabling comparison with larger but administratively abstracted summary reports. Principal findings included the common occurrence of outpatient events, lapses in communication with patients and other providers, the need for follow-through by the consultant neurologist even when not primarily responsible, the frequency of diagnostic errors, and pitfalls associated with imaging.

The neurologist and patient safety.

Background: The objective of this article is to acquaint neurologists with the current status of evidence and opinion on patient safety in neurology. Research data on errors and preventable adverse events (harm from medical management) in neurology are sparse, with little light being cast thus far on the vulnerabilities of individual neurologists and neurologic office practices. However, areas of particular concern and lines of appropriate action are now becoming apparent.

Evidence-guided education: patients' outcome data should influence our teaching priorities.

How should medical educators choose learning objectives and teaching content in clinical education? Given the information chain reaction, coverage of all significant topics in sufficient depth is not possible. Choosing subjects of high priority is essential if education is to have maximum impact on quality of care. These priorities should not derive from tradition and opinion, but should be informed by patient outcomes, the ultimate standard for assessing educational effectiveness.

The sleep-deprived electroencephalogram: evidence and practice.

Background: Sleep deprivation for the initial electroencephalogram for suspected seizures is a widespread but inconsistent practice not informed by balanced evidence. Daily practice suggests that nonneurologists are confused by the meaning and value of, and indications for, "sleep" (tracing) vs "sleep deprivation" (and other alternatives). They need specific, informed guidance from general neurologists on best practices.

How best to evaluate clinician-educators and teachers for promotion?

The challenge of how best to evaluate educational scholars (and specifically, clinician-educators) and teachers for promotion continues to confront academia. While the work of educational scholars and teachers often overlaps, the terms for justifying their promotion differ substantially. In each case, the author maintains that evaluation should be oriented to evidence of the impact of their work.