RT Attorney to Address Legal Issues Facing Profession

August 7, 2002
You can hardly turn on the TV these days without seeing another news item about patient safety. Recent reports in the general media about wrong-site surgery, mixed up medications, and other medical errors have put the public on edge, and everyone from Congress to your local health department is out to do something about it.

What legal implications do these issues hold for respiratory therapy? Find out first hand at this year's Congress from respiratory therapist and attorney, Anthony L. DeWitt, JD, RRT. He has three informative presentations planned that are sure to bring RTs up to speed on all the latest developments.

First up on Saturday afternoon is a lecture devoted to counterfeit medications. In this session, DeWitt will provide attendees with a thorough understanding of drug quality control, the importance of monitoring side effects of medications, and the vulnerability of the drug supply.

A later session on Saturday afternoon will delve into the pitfalls of concurrent therapy, also known as the stacking of treatments. This vital issue, recently the subject of an Association white paper, has been widely debated in the profession, with opinions falling on both sides of the coin. DeWitt will explain the legal ramifications of the practice and how risks to patients can be brought to bear. It's a presentation no manager -- or staff member -- can afford to miss.

Lastly, DeWitt will address Congress-goers on Sunday afternoon in a session devoted to the horrors that can accompany malpractice suits. Come and hear about some of the most spectacular cases in the medical arena, what happened to the patients involved, and how the legal system dealt with the medical professionals involved.