The Legal Status of Clinical Practice Parameters: An Updated Annotated Bibliography

Abstract

In response to extensive speculation about the probable liability implications for health care providers of the formal creation and dissemination of explicit practice parameters of guidelines, I prepared several years ago an annotated bibliography of emerging literature on that topic (1). Since preparation of that catalogue, little meaningful clarification of these issues has emerged from the courts, legislatures, or regulatory agencies.

Practice parameters in pediatric allergy

“…Tort reform in the state of Maine provides physicians with the option of using compliance with parameters as affirmative defense in malpractice litigation [49]. There are several states that have mandated practice parameters and a number of states have passed legislation utilizing guidelines in some manner [50,51]. Data gathered by the AMA support the belief that parameters lower the incidence of legal action against physicians, although not all of those in the legal profession would agree with this contention.…”