Spotlight Series: Optimizing Documentation to Improve Patient Outcomes and Mitigate Risk
This presentation provides an overview of fall-related litigation risk, including common drivers of claims, key legal exposure areas, and practical strategies to reduce organizational liability. Attendees will learn how incident trends, documentation, and post-fall response practices impact legal outcomes, and how proactive prevention efforts can strengthen safety and defensibility.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the most common factors that lead to fall-related litigation, including environmental hazards, policy gaps, and staff response issues.
- Explain how documentation, reporting timelines, and communication practices influence legal risk and claim outcomes after a fall.
- Apply risk-reduction strategies that improve fall prevention, strengthen compliance, and support defensible post-incident processes.
Panelists
Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA – Chief Nursing Officer, American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN)
Amy is the chief nursing officer for the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN). Prior to this she was a curriculum development specialist for AADNS. Before joining the AAPACN staff, she was a legal nurse consultant for the law firm Hall Prangle, in Chicago. She has over 28 years of experience in the post-acute healthcare industry, with expertise in the areas of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI), clinical reimbursement, quality, and regulatory change. Prior to joining HPS, Amy was the division director of reimbursement for 18 skilled nursing facilities in the Chicagoland area, part of a larger hospital system that participated in CMS innovative payment models. Previous roles include director of nursing, pharmacy quality consultant, wound care consultant, and MDS coordinator. Amy is a Master Teacher for AAPACNs RAC-CT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT and QCP programs and is a nationally recognized speaker and subject matter expert on a variety of post-acute care topics.
Kathryn Sullivan, Partner, Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan LLP
Kathryn is a partner practicing in the fields of Medical Malpractice and Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Home Care & Hospice. Kathryn has a track record of successfully defending health care practitioners, hospitals and nursing homes, as well as hospice and home care providers, handling all aspects of the defense from inception to verdict. Prior to joining KBR, Kathryn gained extensive experience drafting and arguing complex motions and appeals. She also served as coverage and monitoring counsel for excess insurers in complex coverage matters. While attending law school, Kathryn served as an Executive Editor of the Pace Law Review, received the Isaac Ruben Clinical Award for distinguished advocacy, and twice competed in the Philip. C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. She now serves as coach of the Pace Law School’s Philip C. Jessup Moot Court team.
Moderator: Jay Sackman, JD – Principal, Jay M. Sackman Consulting Services LLC
Jay Sackman’s work is grounded in over 50 years of experience working with nursing home leaders, labor organizations and advocates for elders and their families as an officer of a labor organization and as an attorney. The objective of his consulting interventions is cultural transformation and performance improvement. He works with organizations that are committed to creating real homes for elders in nursing homes. He works with executive leadership and other formal and informal leaders and helps to facilitate “ground up” sustainable change. Jay earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami in 1973. In 1975 he founded a legal service program that provided legal representation to health care workers and led this organization for thirteen years. Together with a staff of fifteen attorneys in two states the plan represented thousands of people in their private lives. He served as an elected leader of labor organizations for two decades ending that phase of his life as a member of the International Executive Board of the Service Employees International Union and as the Executive Vice President and Nursing Home Division Director of SEIU 1199 United Healthcare Workers East. He has been a member for 16 years and past chair of the Advancing Excellence in long Term Care Collaborative.
Note: If questions, please email pathwayweb@pathwayhealth.com.
Session Recording