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Summer 2021 Claims Rx
Delegating Duties to Medical Assistants
NORCAL Risk Management Specialists often find – through phone consultations and onsite risk reviews – that improper delegation of duties to MAs is common. Furthermore, NORCAL closed claims analysis indicates that improper delegation of duties to MAs is an underlying cause of many malpractice allegations against physicians and other clinicians. Additionally, allowing unlicensed MAs to perform duties that are only supposed to be performed by licensed personnel can lead to medical board disciplinary actions against supervising clinicians.
This article reviews the risks associated with delegating duties to MAs that are beyond their permissible scope of service. Our goal is to help medical practices integrate MAs into their organizations in a way that promotes effective, safe, and lawful patient care. We will look at how these risks arise in claims and in everyday practice, and we will provide strategies to mitigate those risks
Spring 2021 Claims Rx
Virtual Consultations: Risk management and Patient Safety During the Pandemic and Beyond
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many physicians out of their offices and into the virtual environment to see patients in their own homes. Telemedicine has gained tremendous momentum. Increased reimbursement and relaxation of state and federal laws and regulations have removed significant barriers to videoconferencing with patients as an office visit alternative. However, the extent to which pandemic-responsive modifications to state and federal telehealth laws and regulations will continue after the pandemic is uncertain. For physicians who wish to continue offering virtual consultations after the PHE has ended, mastering the management of patient safety and liability risk issues unique to telemedicine will be important.
Fall 2020
Claims Rx: The Risks of Cosmetic Procedures Performed in Physicians’ Offices
While the primary job of any medical professional is to keep their patient safe, individuals performing cosmetic procedures face additional pressure to properly manage expectations, balance patient desires, and deliver subjectively satisfactory results. Patients fairly expect an improved appearance; consequently, any unexpected outcome can easily result in a lawsuit. Even the most experienced specialists encounter adverse outcomes; however, when a patient injury occurs at the hands of a physician practicing outside his or her specialty, the defense of a malpractice claim can be difficult. This article focuses on reducing liability risks with cosmetic procedures performed in physicians’ offices. Read more by clicking the link for the full article below.
Spring 2020
Claims Rx: Mitigating Risk with a Quality Plan
This Claims Rx presents an overview of healthcare quality, including key components of a quality plan on which to build a program. This article illustrates how practices can assess risk in terms of clinical quality, patient safety, and liability exposure, and integrate quality improvement techniques to reduce risk. Further, this article includes recommendations for practical applications healthcare providers can scale to their specialty and practice size, which affect overall quality and safety of care delivered. Mature quality programs can take years to develop. This article will present practices with tools to begin the journey now. Read more by clicking the link for the full article below.
Winter 2020
Claims Rx: Systems Solutions to Decreasing Physician Burnout and Increasing Wellness
Research indicates that a majority of physicians may be suffering from burnout. Who or what is responsible for physician burnout is a complicated question that has prompted a great deal of research over many years. The short answer is burnout occurs when physicians cannot meet workforce demands. Read more by clicking the link for the full article below.
