Thomas Kline: Hospital improves protocols, communication

 A Philadelphia-area Hospital, after paying a client a large confidential settlement, agreed to hold grand rounds to educate staff on how important it is to carefully review files and inform patients of the nature of their illnesses. The patient in this case was Lawrence Strange. His cancer progressed after he was never told about a nodule discovered on a lung. The reason was a case of gross miscommunication -- various doctors wrongly thought that one another had told the patient. Nineteen months went by before Strange was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. He died six weeks later. On a day in May 2013, the hospital held a formal lecture with some 40 doctors in attendance in honor of Strange and stressed the importance of various hospital protocols, including proper communication among doctors and staff, documentation and follow-up of test results. The case was litigated by Tom Kline.