Liability a primary concern in collaborative healthcare practice

Legal liability risk is perceived by some health professionals and organizations to be a barrier to delivering health services in collaborative teams, but a Conference Board of Canada report suggests that liability is not the obstacle they say it is.
Based on this research, the possibility of a malpractice suit should not be put forward as a reason to stop health professionals from collaborating, Gabriela Prada, principal research associate, said in a statement.
Researchers reported that healthcare professionals expressed concerns that these practices may increase their exposure to liability risks, and that they may be held accountable for the negligent acts of their colleagues.
A concern that courts may base judgements on the traditional models of health care delivery, instead of new collaborative arrangements was also voiced.
This research, however, suggests that Canadian courts seem to have moved with the times they recognize that collaborative arrangements are often used in patient care and that a team approach is desirable, the press release says.
Courts have always assessed liability against individuals, even in cases involving health professionals working as a team, therefore it is likely that courts will continue to assess the standard of care expected of a health professional (given their qualifications and experience) on an individual basis.