In our area, it’s common for patients to move through several steps of care—urgent care visits, primary care follow-up, specialist appointments, and diagnostic testing through different scheduling systems. Delays often show up in the cracks:
- Abnormal lab or imaging results not communicated clearly (or not communicated at all)
- “Incidental findings” not followed up with the appropriate next test or referral
- Referral instructions that never get completed because follow-up steps weren’t tracked
- Symptoms that persist after discharge but aren’t re-evaluated when they escalate
- Paperwork or portal messages that create confusion about urgency and next steps
If you’re thinking, “I did what I was supposed to do, but the system didn’t,” you’re not alone. The legal question is whether the provider’s actions fell short of what a reasonably careful clinician would do under similar circumstances.


