What is Considered False Charting in Healthcare?
False charting, also known as Willful Material Falsification (WMF), is an unethical and illegal practice in healthcare. It is not simply a mistake in documentation, but rather a deliberate act to mislead others about patient care.
The most common themes of false charting are as follow, and they all relate back to patient care:
- Improperly dispensing medications
- Altering records to hide bad outcomes and minimize blame/legal liability
- Filling out charts “en masse,” out of laziness or necessity because of under-staffing
- Medicare fraud, in which therapists continue billing high-priced therapy for patients too ill to participate
False charting can be considered medical malpractice because it involves the practitioner’s failure to meet the professional standard of care, resulting in patient harm. It can be considered nursing home negligence if the false charting was an unintentional error or oversight that led to patient harm.
How to Recognize a False Charting
If you visit your grandparent in a nursing home and notice that the nurse has no knowledge of an allergy when you mention it, that could be a sign of false charting. If the provider who came in before the nurse did not have time to ask about allergies and answered “no” to that question on the chart, they could face serious liability. Allergies can be life-threatening, and the patient could suffer severe injuries due to the provider’s false charting. Allergic reactions are just one way to recognize potential false charting.
Other examples of false charting may include:
- Recording vital signs not actually taken
- Documenting medications that weren’t given
- Adding details about procedures that didn’t happen
Signs of false charting could include:
- The provider’s chart fails to correspond with pharmacy records.
- The patient dies unexpectedly.
- The patient’s symptoms worsen.
- The patient has medication withdrawals.
- The patient experiences new side effects.
- The patient is incorrectly diagnosed and treated.
- The provider misses early warning signs of issues.
- The provider’s intervention is delayed, causing complications.
Common Causes of False Charting
A growing concern lies in how much documentation is required of healthcare professionals. Because of this, mistakes are bound to happen. Unfortunately, sometimes false charting is intentional. Here are some other common causes of false charting:
- Stress
- Burnout
- Short staffing
- Time constraints
- Poor handwriting
- Substance abuse
- Misspelling words
- Poor work-life balance
- Poor supervision or training
- Using incorrect abbreviations
- Omitting important information
- Entering data into the wrong chart
- Malicious intentions of the provider
- Copying and pasting previous records
- Lack of understanding of charting procedure
While there are many explanations as to why false charting occurs, it is important to note that there is no excuse, and healthcare practitioners must be held accountable. The act of falsifying medical records can lead to negative outcomes for not only the current patient, but also every patient that the practitioner will come into contact with going forward.
Steps to Take if You Suspect False Charting
If you suspect false charting:
- Review medical records and note anything questionable.
- Make sure the patient’s needs are met.
- Report the incident to proper authorities.
- Contact a lawyer for your potential case.
- Document any details that may be relevant.
- Gather any evidence, including dates and times.
Our Process for False Charting
Our process includes the following:
- The discovery phase and either negotiation or a trial
- Initial consultation
- Gathering evidence
- Filing a complaint with authorities
- Filing a lawsuit against the party responsible
Compensation in False Charting Cases
False charting cases can be worth a lot of money, as they should be. Quality healthcare is a human right, and false charting can violate that. Depending on the specific circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to compensation. This includes for:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Wrongful death
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
Book a free consultation with our firm to embark on a journey toward receiving the justice you deserve.
