Malpractice fears hurt communication

Communication between hospital emergency departments (EDs) and the doctors who provide the care is insufficient, according to a study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change for the National Institute for Health Care Reform.

The result, the study's authors conclude, is compromised patient care. It's a problem for which no simple solutions are evident.

The researchers conducted 42 phone interviews with 21 pairs of ED physicians and primary care physicians, case-matched so that the perspectives of both specialties were represented.