By Mike Adeyemi
International Medical Law Expert, Barrister Laolu Osanyin, has rated Nigerian doctors as worst in medical record keeping.
He also warned medical practitioners in the country against negligence in record keeping which may cost them litigations.
Osanyin, in his address delivered at the 2018 Scientific Conference organised by the Association of Resident Doctors, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) Chapter, said doctors practising in the country are the easiest to sue for nehligence.
The theme of his address was titled: “Medicine, Malpractice and Misapprehension Conundrum: The need to protect the Doctors from litigation”.
Osanyin, who is currently the first and only African on the Board of Governors of the World Association of Medical Law, said: “Nigerian doctors are the worst record keepers and in medical law, if it is not written, it did not happen,”.
The medical law expert pointed out that some Nigerian doctors are guilty of medical malpractice without even knowing it, adding that a consultant supervisor is responsible for the mistakes of his subordinate.
“You don’t have to see a patient to be responsible for him or her, medical negligence is the omission to do what a responsible medical practitioner would do or doing what a reasonable medical practitioner would refrain from doing,” said Laolu.
According to him, negligence on the part of doctors, is the failure to exercise that care which the circumstances demands.
He also described doctors who evade the annual practising license, as “engaging in negligence that can be used against them in the court of law during litigation”.
The expert in Medical Law advised doctors on tips to avoid litigation, to include, record keeping, informing patients of the risks inherent in treatment, speaking to the patients in language they understand and writing legibly for easy understanding, among others.
In his speech, the Chief Medical Director, (CMD) of UITH, Prof. Dasilva Yusuf, said health care providers have become an endangered species and the earlier they realise that the better for the profession.
The CMD represented by Dr Abiodun Adeniran, of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, observed that most of the issues that caused disagreement between patients and health care providers are preventable.
He added that one of the aspects to preventing litigation is through proper documentation which is so fundamental in the medical profession.
Prof Yusuf, counselled that when patients have a serious condition, doctors should take time to explain to them in a clear terms.
He advised them to know when to call for help most importantly, when they know they cannot perform maximally.
Earlier in his welcome address, Dr Owolabi Sunday, the ARD President, UITH Chapter observed that there is rise in litigation against Doctors in recent times.
He therefore appealed for the need in provision of adequate and enhance training and medical equipment, as well as conducive work environment for medical practitioners in Nigeria.
Sunday expressed happiness, over the new cordial relation experienced between the association and the UITH, adding that the present CMD has committed himself to the welfare of medical doctors.
