Pediatrics Resources

Professional Education
Reducing Vaccine Liability Exposure for Pediatric Healthcare Professionals
This continuing education program provides the pediatric healthcare professional with best practices for identifying, reducing, and managing vaccine-related liability exposures. By drawing on our professional liability closed claims data, we have identified common errors that reflect the most common issues associated with vaccine care and treatment in the pediatric population. In addition, this program will identify best practices for effective communication and management of vaccine hesitant patients/families and caretakers.
1.0 credit

Feb 24, 2025
Addressing Challenging Situations in a Dental Setting
This patient safety and risk management guide offers expert insights and strategies to help you address common challenges in the dental setting.

Jan 30, 2025
Off-Label Use: Patient Safety Implications
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Once authorized, a drug product may be prescribed by a licensed healthcare practitioner for any use deemed appropriate based on the practitioner’s professional opinion. The governing standard is what other similarly trained practitioners would do—not what the manufacturer of the medication or product recommends.

Dec 17, 2024
Reduce Patient Safety Risks With Vaccinations
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Take time to assess the vaccine administration protocols in your practice.

Dec 09, 2024
Is Your Patient a Victim of Human Trafficking?
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, FASHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Although trafficking victims rarely find opportunities to interact with others, a visit to a physician or dental practice may provide an opportunity for a victim to receive help. Learn to recognize the signs of human trafficking and know what steps to take.

Jul 02, 2024
Practitioner Refusal to Treat Vaccine-Hesitant Patients in the Office Setting
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
We offer expert strategies to help practitioners address patients who refuse or delay vaccines.

Apr 08, 2024
Minor Consent: Challenges for Pediatric Dentistry
Richard F. Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, and Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Identifying a minor patient’s legal guardianship and parental rights prior to initial treatment can help dental practitioners reduce risk.

Dec 21, 2023
Suicide Prevention: Primary Care Is a Crucial Setting for Identifying Risk
Debra Davidson, MJ, CPPS, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
At any given time, some of your patients are having thoughts of suicide. Effective suicide prevention requires a comprehensive approach.

Dec 21, 2023
Medical Malpractice and the Volunteer Team Physician
Michael C. Koester, MD, Slocum Center for Orthopedic and Sports Medicine
Community physicians have long served as local high school team physicians. Michael C. Koester, MD, discusses the potential liability risks.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

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.

Jul 25, 2023
Pediatrics: Consider Car Window Hammers for Your Office Emergency Response Kit
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
Seconds count if an infant, toddler, or young child is accidentally locked inside a hot vehicle. A car window hammer can be a lifesaving tool to include in an emergency response cart or kit.

Professional Education
Failure to Diagnose Congenital Asplenia Results in Tragic Patient Outcome (Claims Corner CME)
Referral process system failures can contribute to delayed diagnosis of serious conditions which can lead to severe consequences for patients. Problems can arise when referral is needed but is not initiated properly or timely, when the specialist does not ensure their recommendations are fully and clearly communicated back to the referring clinician, when the referring clinician does not understand or act on the specialist’s recommendations, or when the referring office fails to track their open referrals to ensure they have received all consultation reports. This program will examine a malpractice case involving all the above referral-related deficiencies, leading to a catastrophic result for the patient and significant liability for the involved clinicians. Risk management strategies will be provided for any practice to improve the referral process and to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
0.8 credit

Jun 14, 2023
Medical Malpractice and Preparticipation Sports Physicals
Michael C. Koester, MD, Slocum Center for Orthopedic and Sports Medicine
Physicians should be aware of liability risks associated with preparticipation sports physicals.

Apr 24, 2023
Childhood Obesity: Communication Strategies for Healthcare Practitioners
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
Conversations about weight between healthcare professionals and pediatric patients and their parents can have profound, long-term effects on a child or adolescent.

Apr 20, 2023, KevinMD
Childhood Obesity in the U.S.: A Growing Health Crisis Affecting Millions and Demanding Action from Pediatric Health Care Practitioners
This article by Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, discusses important lessons learned and practice improvement strategies surrounding childhood obesity for pediatric health care practitioners.

Apr 01, 2023, Chicago Medicine
Lessons in Preventing Button Battery Injuries
This article by Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, discusses important lessons learned and risk prevention strategies for button battery ingestion in children.

Feb 03, 2023
Pediatrics: Lessons in Preventing Button Battery Injuries
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
It is critical for clinicians to minimize misdiagnosis and delays in care and treatment of pediatric button battery ingestions, exposures, and insertions.

Professional Education
Preventing Diagnostic Error in Primary Care: Strategies for Advanced Practice Clinicians
Diagnostic errors occur often in primary care settings and can impact over 12 million outpatients annually. This is a top patient safety concern and a global burden among advanced practice clinicians (APCs). Significant patient harm can occur due to treatment delay, testing, or misdiagnosis. This course is an opportunity to promote awareness and visibility by identifying where these errors occur most often in the diagnostic process of care framework. Examples of some best practices for the diagnostic process involves a timely and accurate diagnosis, patient engagement, effective system processes, active follow up, and communication. The information in this course will focus heavily on prevention strategies related to the primary care setting.
0.8 credit

Professional Education
Team Physicians: Mitigating Liability Risks
Physicians serving as volunteer team physicians for high school or other community sports programs are often unaware of potential liability risks.
0.5 credit

Mar 20, 2019
Study of Malpractice Claims Involving Children
Darrell Ranum, JD, CPHRM, Vice President, Patient Safety and Risk Management
The Doctors Company analyzed 1,215 claims filed on behalf of pediatric patients that closed from 2008 through 2017. The study is based on the claims filed against physicians in 52 specialties and subspecialties and includes an overview of the most common types of claims, expert insights into the specific elements that led to patient injury, and risk mitigation strategies.