Decoding the meaning of medical guidelines and their medicolegal implications

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftReviewForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Peter Kranke
  • Afshari, Arash
  • Patrick Meybohm
  • Wolfgang Buhre
  • Stephanie Wiege
  • Carolina S. Romero
Medical practice guidelines (MPGs) are important in medicine to ensure well tolerated and effective healthcare. They provide evidence-based recommendations for healthcare professionals in daily clinical settings. MPGs help patients and practitioners make informed decisions, ensure quality of care, allocate healthcare resources effectively and reduce legal liability. MPGs have medicolegal implications, as they influence clinical decision-making and patient outcomes, which can impact liability and malpractice cases. They define the standard of care within the healthcare industry and provide best practice recommendations. MPGs are a cornerstone of the informed consent process, as they facilitate a shared decision support system and they provide valuable evidence-based recommendations on various treatments or medical options. Finally, MPGs are also relevant in medical claims; thus, adherence to MPGs is highly encouraged in order to assure the best medical care. Nonetheless, MPGs have limitations and we advocate for wise usage of MPGs combined with the expertise of trained physicians that allows for individualisation and evidence-based recommendations. In this review, we describe the potential legal implications that MPGs may represent for healthcare providers and the role that MPGs have in daily practice at different stages in the doctor--patient relationship.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
BogserieEuropean Journal of Anaesthesiology
Vol/bind41
Udgave nummer2
Sider (fra-til)109-114
Antal sider6
ISSN0265-0215
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2024

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
Financial support and sponsorship: the authors declared that no financial support was perceived for this work.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care.

ID: 381681384