The Doctor’s Advocate | Third Quarter 2021
PREP Act Update
The federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act was one of the earliest touted defenses to COVID-19 liability claims. While many believed that the PREP Act might be a “silver bullet” defense against COVID claims, The Doctors Company and like-minded groups decided not to rely solely on the PREP Act as a defense against COVID claims and have continued to fight for specific state-level protections.
As COVID-19 litigation begins to enter the system, early indications suggest that we and our allies were correct: Far from being a remedy, the PREP Act has, to date, been of limited use in defending against COVID-19 claims. A recent Reuters article provides an update.
View our state-by-state map.
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 healthcare provider considering the circumstances of 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.
Third Quarter 2021
Perspectives from the CMO
Healthcare’s Digital Revolution: Are We Ready to Reimagine the Work?
An Ounce of Prevention
Patient Relations: Anticipate and Address Challenging Situations
Government Relations Report
Preparing for Genomic Medicine: Implications for Medical Practice and Public Policy
PREP Act Update
Foundation News
Latest Foundation News
Continuing Education: Prevention of Diagnostic Error in Primary Care
New Resources Page for Practice Managers
New Emergency Department Closed Claims Study
The Back Page
Industry and Company News