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Short Notes on Confusion 2017 - Dr Mark Burgin

27/11/17. Dr. Mark Burgin BM BCh (oxon) MRCGP considers the elements that should be included in a primer for clinical negligence cases involving Confusion.

Confusion can last for a few minutes following an epileptic fit, hours because of a drug side effect, days with a head injury and weeks with a urinary tract infection.

Confused patients should be assessed promptly and systematically, failure to diagnose the cause of the confusion suggests an incomplete assessment. (1)

There is a range of opinion with some GPs of the opinion that most confused patients will be diagnosed if they are admitted to hospital and other GPs that best results come from taking the time to make a full assessment.

The hospital perspective is that diagnosing a patient who cannot give a history and where most of the clues have been left at home may not be possible...

 

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