Industry and Company News
Two New Board Members Appointed
The Doctors Company is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to the company’s Board of Governors.
Charles R. Kossman, Ph.D., M.D., a medical oncologist and hematologist in private practice, is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the San Diego County Medical Society. Dr. Kossman is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California at San Diego.
Diana L. Starcher has more than 20 years of experience in banking operations management. Ms. Starcher is executive vice president of Wells Fargo Bank and director of the Wells Fargo Phone Bank, a network of 12 call centers serving over 220 million external customer calls annually and seven call centers servicing Wells Fargo team members.
We welcome Dr. Kossman and Ms. Starcher to our distinguished board.
Dr. Anderson Honored as First Recipient of PLUS Foundation Award
Richard E. Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.P., chairman and chief executive officer of The Doctors Company, was recently honored as the first recipient of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) Foundation’s Award for Outstanding Leadership in Healthcare Professional Liability. The award recognizes an individual who has had a long-term impact as a respected leader in the field and whose work and commitment have consistently improved the standards and products of the industry.
The Doctors Company Receives Patient Safety Award
The Doctors Company was recently honored to accept an award from the San Diego Center for Patient Safety (SDCPS) for our “generous support and commitment to patient safety.” Dr. Anderson, an SDCPS Advisory Board member, accepted the award for The Doctors Company at the SDCPS Second Annual Patient Safety Conference in San Diego.
The Doctors Company Receives A.M. Best Rating for 2003
The Doctors Company has been rated B++ by insurance industry ratings agency A.M. Best for 2003. This rating, classified by A.M. Best as “Secure,” places us at the top of the “Very Good” category.
Results of Our First E-mail Survey
We recently completed our first e-mail survey to learn how our insured physicians are responding to the current medical malpractice insurance crisis. The results of the 736 member responses show that:
- More than 72 percent of our surveyed doctors now view patients as potential adversaries.
- Nearly 40 percent have limited the scope of their practices due to rising medical malpractice rates.
- Half have reduced charity work due to malpractice rate increases.
The Wall Street Journalcited our survey results in “Doctors Take the Offensive,” a March 23, 2004, article about frivolous malpractice suits.
Our thanks to those who participated. To have your voice heard in future e-mail surveys, please send your name, policy number, and your preferred e-mail address to memberservice@thedoctors.com.
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.