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Risk Management Resources
for MedResults Network Members

IN COOPERATION WITH
Med Results Network

MRN members are invited to view the Claims Rx articles and on-demand webinars at no charge. CME credit is available to NORCAL policyholders via MyACCOUNT and the MyNORCAL mobile CME app, along with dozens of other risk management and patient safety activities. Typically each activity is an hour and provides an opportunity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.


Summer 2021
Claims Rx
Delegating Duties to Medical Assistants

Screen Shot 2021-07-15 at 10.17.35 AMNORCAL 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

Article features include:

  • "Mission Creep" and Long-term Employees
  • Assessing MA Performance
  • The Problem with Physician Signature Stamps

 

READ FULL ARTICLE

Upcoming CME Webinars

11/11/21
The Business of Medicine: Hidden Liabilities Lurking in Your Practice

To learn more or register for these upcoming webinars, please visit our CME Webinars, Webcasts & Events page.



Pandemic: COVID-19 Resources Available

Medical professionals, caregivers and NORCAL Group insureds have a critical role in containing the spread of COVID-19 infection. An important first step is accessing reputable, regularly updated, accurate, and evidence-based information.

Visit our Pandemic: COVID-19 Resource Center for all updates.


Past Risk Management Offerings for MRN Members


Spring 2021
Claims Rx
Virtual Consultations: Risk management and Patient Safety During the Pandemic and Beyond

Screen Shot 2021-04-26 at 4.13.33 PMThe 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.

Article features include:

  • Licensure and Choice of Law
  • Health Information Privacy and Security during Virtual Consultations
  • Virtual Consultation Technology
  • Patient Selection and Quality of Medicine
  • Informed Consent
  • Virtual Consultation Documentation
  • Professionalism and Etiquette
  • Contracting with a Direct-to-Consumer On-Demand Telemedicine Company

 

READ FULL ARTICLE



Winter 2021

On-Demand Webinar: Process Improvement: Three Key Areas for Success

This educational activity will support your ability to:

  • Implement the use of checklists by you and your staff to mitigate professional liability risk and enhance patient safety.
  • Identify and overcome communication challenges through the use of effective communication techniques.
  • Integrate a variety of team strategies to enhance care team communication.
  • Apply the steps of providing informed consent.



Fall 2020
Claims Rx: The Risks of Cosmetic Procedures Performed in Physicians’ Offices

Nov-Dec 2020While 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.

Article cases include:

  • Practice Drift with Inadequate Training and Expertise
  • Poor Patient Selection for Office-Based Liposuction
  • “Medical Direction,” Supervision, and Delegation Issues

 

READ FULL ARTICLE


Summer 2020
CME Webinar: The Physician-Patient Relationship: Establishment and Termination of Care

Nearly every physician has felt the need to terminate their relationship with a patient at some point. The appropriateness of termination of a patient from your practice is dependent on many factors, including whether a physician-patient relationship has ever been established. Understanding the intricacies of the physician-patient relationship can increase your awareness in each situation and mitigate your liability risk. This webinar will cover the risks associated with establishing and terminating the physician-patient relationship, allegations of abandonment and service recovery. A review of case scenarios will identify risk management strategies that can be implemented to help reduce medical professional liability exposure and support patient safety.

 

 


Spring 2020
Claims Rx: Mitigating Risk with a Quality Plan

Dec 2018 Claims RxThis 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.

Article cases include:

  • Quality and Risk Management in Healthcare
  • Three Cornerstones of a Successful Program
  • Getting Started
  • Practical Application
  • The Quality Plan


READ FULL ARTICLE


Winter 2020
Claims Rx: Systems Solutions to Decreasing Physician Burnout and Increasing Wellness

Dec 2018 Claims RxResearch 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.

article cases include:

  • Definition of Burnout
  • Conditions and a Cascade of Events Result in Physician Suicide
  • Litigation Stress Management
  • Suicide Prevention


READ FULL ARTICLE


Fall 2019
On-Demand Webinar: HIPAA Security Rule: An Overview of the HIPAA Risk Analysis

Managing your practice can be complex. This one-hour webinar will cover issues associated with workflows, team communication and patient communication. We will introduce risk management best practices to ensure that your practice processes and communications work for you rather than against you, should you be named in a professional liability lawsuit.

This educational activity will support your ability to:

  • Describe the general requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule
  • Utilize the key elements of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for protecting e-PHI
  • Implement the Security Rule requirements for Risk Analysis and Risk Management

 


Fall 2019
On-Demand Webinar: HIPAA Data Breach Analysis, Management and Prevention

This educational activity will support your ability to: 

  • Assess whether a privacy or security incident is a HIPAA data breach and determine notification steps, if appropriate.

  • Integrate cybersecurity education into your communication with employees, consultants and business associates to support an understanding of PHI security policies and an ability to recognize and report potential security breaches.

  • Implement cybersecurity measures aimed at preventing attacks by hackers and ransomware.