Patient Relationships Resources
Get risk management/patient safety resources and free accredited education on managing patient relationships.
Show:
Apr 15, 2025
Obtaining Informed Consent in Clinical Teaching Situations
The basic principles governing informed consent and informed refusal apply to healthcare practitioners in all settings—including academic medical centers and any teaching location.
Feb 27, 2025
Cognitive Assessments in Primary Care: Preparation and Tools May Mitigate Diagnosis Risks
As practices care for the increase in older patients and take advantage of the CMS billing rules, successfully integrating cognitive evaluations into a practice’s workflow without magnifying liability risks takes some preparation.
Feb 03, 2025
Physician Assistants Can Reduce Risks Through Teamwork: 5 Strategies
While delivering high-quality care, PAs can increase patient safety and mitigate liability risks by committing to teamwork. We can use structured communication tools and escalate when necessary. We can also seek and offer mentorship to foster career-long development.
Dec 17, 2024
Effective Patient Communication: Strategies for Challenging Situations
Poor communication often results in poor treatment outcomes and patient dissatisfaction. Our patient safety and risk management guide provides expert strategies and guidance that can help you improve communication with patients and families.
Nov 20, 2024
Handling Requests for Refunds in the Dental Practice Setting
Managing a patient’s request for a refund requires caution and a measured response.
Oct 09, 2024
Telephone Triage and Advice: Patient Safety Strategies
Communications involving telephone triage and advice present a significant area of liability exposure for practitioners.
Sep 20, 2024
Recording Office Visits and Procedures: Pros and Cons for Healthcare Professionals
Proactively addressing the use of electronic recordings can help practitioners avoid misunderstandings, reputational damage, and potential liability.
Aug 06, 2024
Informed Consent: Substance and Signature
True informed consent is a process of managing a patient’s expectations through shared decision making. It is not just a signature on a document.
Aug 05, 2024
Terminating Patient Relationships
If it becomes necessary to end a patient relationship, it is critical to end the relationship in a manner that will not lead to claims of discrimination or abandonment, litigation for alleged professional negligence, or complaints to administrative agencies.
Aug 05, 2024
Don’t Let Patient Disputes Escalate; Plan to Protect Yourself
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, contributes recommendations for managing troublesome minor patient disputes.
Aug 01, 2024
Patient Relations: Anticipate and Address Challenging Situations
Questions about patient relations and patient termination are consistently the top reasons that members request assistance.
Jun 18, 2024
Choose Your Most Important Quality Measure, Examine for Equity, and Begin
Guest author Mark D. Smith, MD, MBA, considers the connections between equity and high-quality care and offers strategies for prioritizing efforts.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Jun 01, 2024
Falls Remain a Leading Safety Problem, Still Need Attention
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, provides insight on how practices should respond to and prevent patient falls.
Apr 29, 2024
‘Administrative’ Fees for Patient Messages? Not if It’s About Treatment
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, discusses the importance of documented policies and procedures surrounding non-medical services, like text communication, practices might charge for.
Mar 11, 2024
Informed Refusal
Documenting a patient’s refusal of test or treatment options is key to minimizing risk exposure.
Mar 04, 2024
Combating Workplace Violence in the Healthcare Office Practice
Attorney Julia Goldman outlines strategies for implementing an effective plan to combat workplace violence.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Mar 04, 2024
Proactively Manage Patient Expectations With a Conditions of Treatment Agreement
Protect your practice with a plan to proactively manage challenging patient behaviors.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Jan 30, 2024
Patient Safety Strategies for Surrogate Births
Surrogate pregnancies present unique challenges that require planning and clear communication.
Jan 05, 2024
Patient Experience Surveys
Use our patient experience surveys to measure satisfaction and uncover areas of concern in your practice.
Dec 21, 2023
Suicide Prevention: Primary Care Is a Crucial Setting for Identifying Risk
At any given time, some of your patients are having thoughts of suicide. Effective suicide prevention requires a comprehensive approach.
Dec 11, 2023
Thwart Abuse: Consider Opt-out,Training in Chaperone Policy
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, provides policy suggestions for healthcare providers to implement that can help defend against sexual harassment allegations.
Dec 07, 2023
ADA Accessibility for Healthcare Websites: How Practices Can Avoid Suits and Attract Patients
Healthcare practices and organizations may be sued by web users who allege that there are site-use access barriers for those with disabilities and impairments that violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and various state laws. Those caught up in these lawsuits can pay millions of dollars and be bound by the settlement to make specific changes to their websites.
Dec 05, 2023
Set Expectations for New Patients With a Conditions of Treatment Agreement
Consider developing a plan to preemptively manage challenging patient behaviors when they are first identified.
Nov 15, 2023
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: What Healthcare Practitioners Need to Know
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. Early diagnosis provides important benefits to diagnosed individuals and their loved ones, caregivers, and society.
Nov 09, 2023
Recording Residents' Patient Exams Raises Skills―And Privacy Concerns
Richard F. Cahill, Esq., Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, provides strategies for healthcare providers and clinics to avoid legal trouble surrounding patient recording.
Nov 01, 2023
How to Identify and Defend Against Malicious Lawsuits
Richard F. Cahill, Esq., Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, discusses common concerns healthcare professionals have when it comes to disgruntled patients and malicious lawsuits.
Oct 01, 2023
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now 988, an easy-to-remember number for 24/7 crisis care.
Professional Education
Patient Termination
This brief audio presentation will give healthcare providers information on how to mitigate their risk when terminating a patient relationship. The key topics covered include establishing patient expectations, what to do when expectations aren’t being met, special circumstances to consider prior to termination, and finally, the elements of the termination notice.
Sep 01, 2023
Thinking About How We Think: How Implicit Bias Creeps Into Diagnosis
David Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, investigates how implicit biases can contribute to malpractice claims and offers strategies to improve diagnostic safety, mitigate risks, and combat healthcare disparities.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Sep 01, 2023
Head Off Problem Patients With Signed Agreements, Legal Review: Expert
Richard F. Cahill, Esq., Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, discusses the rights and responsibilities of practice managers who wish to remove or stop admitting troublesome patients.
Aug 02, 2023
Noncompliant Patients Increase Liability Risks for Practitioners
Practitioners face potential liability when patients do not follow up as instructed or refuse at-home help.
Jul 28, 2023
Quick Check: Patient Dismissal Process
Our Quick Check tool can help you improve your process for dismissing patients from your practice.
Jul 28, 2023
Quick Check: Informed Consent Process
Using our Quick Check tool can help you improve your informed consent process and documentation.
Jul 28, 2023
Quick Check: Dissatisfied Patient Management
Our Quick Check tool can help you improve how your practice identifies and manages dissatisfied patients.
Professional Education
Risk Management 101 for Healthcare Professionals: Malpractice, Patient Relations, and Documentation
This is an introductory level course about basic risk management for practicing clinicians focusing on malpractice, patient communication, and documentation. Healthcare professionals new to practice and more experienced will learn the legal elements of a malpractice claim that must be proven for a plaintiff to prevail. We share communication strategies to enhance patient understanding, compliance, and satisfaction while reducing the risk of abandonment when ending patient relationships. We address the importance of documentation, share open notes strategies for success, and strategies to demonstrate quality of care and reduce risk. Documentation examples are provided, as are tips for electronic health record (EHR) and telehealth documentation.
Jun 12, 2023
As Gun Laws Loosen, Prepare for Possibly Armed Patients
As gun laws grow more permissive across the country, clinicians should be aware of the possibility that patients may attend medical appointments armed. Richard F. Cahill, Esq., Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, provides guidance how to prepare for untoward events.
May 01, 2023
Dealing With Online Patient Complaints
Clinicians are understandably concerned about their reputations and the consequences of any negative comments posted about them on social media platforms.
Apr 25, 2023
Nonadherent and Noncompliant Patients: Overcoming Barriers
Nonadherent or noncompliant patient conduct (whether intentional or inadvertent) can adversely affect clinical outcomes, undermine the practitioner-patient relationship, and disrupt the operation of practice.
Apr 01, 2023
Avoid Patient Abandonment Claims with Education, Follow-Up
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, CPPS, CPHRM, DFASHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, shares insights on how good policies and strong communication can reduce the risk of patient abandonment claims.
Mar 22, 2023
Remote Patient Monitoring: Considerations for Telehealth Care
Remote patient monitoring is advancing the safety and accuracy of telehealth by filling in some gaps and increasing the types of care that can safely be provided in the home.
Feb 23, 2023
To Friend or Not To Friend on Social Media
David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group, provides insight on utilizing social media for medical-related discussions.
Jan 12, 2023
Tap, Tap: See Better Patient Results, and Provider Scores, with SMS Outreach
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, DFASHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, provides commentary on how patient text messaging is increasing in use for certain healthcare settings.
Professional Education
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Healthcare for Advanced Practice Clinicians
Diversity, equity, and inclusion of all patients can lead to better health outcomes in the community in which we work. Creating a culture of inclusion and understanding our own biases, will help us improve patient care. It is important to understand how we are the same and how we are different in language, education, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability, religion, political beliefs, and morals. Providers may not be aware of how diversity, equity, and inclusion problems can hinder their care and relationships with patients. Some states are requiring all clinical professionals to have continuing education on cultural and linguistic competency and implicit bias.
Professional Education
The Advanced Practice Clinician–Patient Relationship: When Does it Begin and When Does it End?
This enduring program will assist the participant in understanding the principles which form the establishment of an advanced practice clinician (APC)–patient relationship, as well as the concerns which may result in the need for the APC to consider terminating the APC-patient relationship. Additionally, the concepts of providing patient-centered care will be presented for the learner’s consideration.
Professional Education
An Introduction to Enhancing Patient Relations and Reducing Risks for Advanced Practice Clinicians
This enduring program is designed to assist advanced practice clinicians (APCs) with improvements in patient interactions by looking at how incorporating hospitality as a focus makes a difference. It has been developed to improve multiple facets of patient interaction.
Professional Education
When Personal Relationships Interfere with the Standard of Care for Advanced Practice Clinicians
The Doctors Company rigorously analyzed 988 claims* against internal medicine physicians that closed from 2009–2018. Regardless of the outcome, all cases that closed from 2009–2018 were included in this analysis—an approach that helps better understand what motivates patients to pursue claims and gain a broader overview of the system failures and processes that result in patient harm.
Apr 01, 2022
Delay in Diagnosing Breast Cancer: A Case Summary and Tips to Reduce Risk
A delay in diagnosing breast cancer may result when a patient doesn’t follow through with diagnostic recommendations.
Jan 27, 2022
As Corporate Entities Enter Healthcare, Practices Can Respond via Patient-Centered Care
Corporate entities have always been involved in healthcare, but now mega corporations—from outside the medical space—are entering the field. The involvement of these large non-legacy corporate entities in healthcare is growing and is challenging—and while this trend brings some benefits, it will also impact how all clinicians provide healthcare.
Dec 15, 2021
Telephone Communication for Healthcare Providers: Safety Strategies
When casually or carelessly conducted, telephone communications can lead to diagnostic errors and misunderstandings that can culminate in professional malpractice claims
Jun 17, 2021
Deferred, Delayed, Disrupted: Mitigating Risks from Care During COVID-19
The pandemic has disrupted healthcare so thoroughly that in some sense, COVID-19 has affected all of healthcare. The effect on care has been stunning in magnitude. By mid-2020, more than 40 percent of U.S. adults had delayed medical care or avoided it entirely, including care for urgent and emergent complaints.