| The Doctor’s Advocate | Second Quarter 2006 |
Industry and Company News
NPSF Appoints Richard E. Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.P., to Board of Governors
We are pleased to announce that the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has appointed Richard E. Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.P., chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company, to the organization’s Board of Governors. NPSF is the nation’s premier nonprofit organization dedicated solely to making patient safety improvements a national priority through research and education.
“I am honored to join NPSF’s board and am eager to contribute to the improvement in patient care nationwide,” said Dr. Anderson. “The Doctors Company’s mission is to advance and protect the practice of good medicine. It is imperative that physician-owned medical liability companies be recognized as partners with the health care system in raising awareness through the patient safety movement. In this way, we will improve the environment in which all health care professionals practice.”
Recognizing Departing Board Members
During its February 9 meeting, The Doctors Company’s Board of Governors recognized three departing members. The board conferred the title of Governor Emeritus on Mark Gorney, M.D., F.A.C.S., and John A. McRae, M.D.—both founding board members—and on Ann S. Lofsky, M.D., and expressed appreciation for their many years of dedicated service to the company.
New Board Member Appointed
We are pleased to announce the appointment of William J. Gallagher, M.D., to the company’s Board of Governors. Dr. Gallagher, a board certified orthopedic surgeon, is president of Northwest Physicians Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Doctors Company.
Dr. Gallagher currently serves as a director of the Physician Insurers Association of America and the Medical Foundation of Marion and Polk Counties. He is former chairman of the IPA Board of Capitol Health Care and a former director of the Foundation for Medical Excellence and the NW Center for Doctor-Patient Communication. Dr. Gallagher also served with the U.S. Navy as a Commander in the Medical Corps and practiced in Salem, Oregon, from 1976 through 1998.
We welcome Dr. Gallagher to our distinguished board.
Local Physician Advisory Board Update
On April 6, our Midwest Regional Office hosted the second meeting of the Ohio Local Physician Advisory Board. The meeting, attended by 11 physicians practicing in a variety of specialties, took place at the Ohio Medical Society in Columbus. Board members took part in a thorough discussion of four claim files, focusing on the medical treatment, the causative relationship between the treatment and the alleged injury, and whether the care at issue met the local community standards.
Our Local Physician Advisory Board meetings create a forum for physicians to share their concerns about local practice trends and issues with members of our Claims, Underwriting, and Patient Safety Departments.
Our Ohio panel, which currently includes 14 physicians from all over the state, will meet twice each year in Columbus. If you are an Ohio physician and are interested in participating, please contact Laura Curtin, assistant vice president in our Midwest Regional Office, at (216) 774-8103.
Rate Reduction in Texas
The medical liability reforms enacted in Texas in 2003 continue to have a stabilizing effect on today’s marketplace. Because of these improvements, we are able to introduce a further rate reduction for Texas members. Beginning on July 1, renewing members will see an average rate decrease of 18 percent. Depending on practice location, area of specialty, and coverage limits, members could receive a premium reduction that ranges from 10 to 45.8 percent.
2005 Annual Report Now Available
The Doctors Company’s 2005 Annual Report is now available online at www.thedoctors.com/ar. If you prefer to receive a printed copy, please contact Customer Service at (800) 421-2368, option 7.
Setting New Standards for Service
We’ve made it easier than ever to register in our Member Area. Visit us at www.thedoctors.com today to sign up for on-demand Certificates of Insurance and credentialing reports and to explore our latest patient safety and member benefits resources.
|
||||||||
The Doctor’s Advocate is published by The Doctors Company to advise and inform its members about loss prevention and insurance issues.
The guidelines suggested in this newsletter are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. They attempt to define principles of practice for providing appropriate care. The principles are not inclusive of all proper methods of care nor exclusive of other methods reasonably directed at obtaining the same results.
The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each health care provider in light of all circumstances prevailing in the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
The Doctor’s Advocate is published quarterly by Corporate Communications, The Doctors Company. Letters and articles, to be edited and published at the editor’s discretion, are welcome. The views expressed are those of the letter writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of The Doctors Company. Please sign your letters, and address them to the editor.