Don't delegate too many medical duties. Asking a nurse or other employee to make medical decisions in these and similar situations opens the door to liability. The same is true in a teaching institution where there are residents. Patients expect the doctor to make important decisions, and they will be angry if they feel you're not involved. Your medical records are your best friends when problems occur.
Patient charts are often the only tangible evidence of the care and treatment provided.
Document everything you do for a patient. That includes advice given over the telephone and attempts to contact a patient even if you were unsuccessful, as well as possible diagnoses you've ruled out. Make sure that you create your medical records at the time you provide the medical care, that the records are truthful and accurate, and that they reflect what actually took place. Medical records must be legible and reflect an organized approach to the patient's problems. There is little a defense lawyer can do to help the impression created by records that are disorganized, incoherent, or worst of all, altered.