Government Relations Advocacy Updates
Each issue of the Government Relations Advocacy Update provides insights into legislative and judicial actions that impact medical liability and the practice of medicine. We are committed to providing an enduring national platform for advocacy for healthcare.
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Chairman's Library
Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company, is the author of a number of peer-reviewed publications on medical malpractice and the impact of defensive medicine.
Dec 13, 2022
Increased Risks of Delayed Care Post-Roe: Clinician Perspectives
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, rapid changes in hospital protocols have at times amplified confusion over what is legally allowed when responding to ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or other obstetric complications. Clinicians in some states may feel pinned between their obligation to care for the patient and their obligation not to break the law.
Jun 18, 2024
Artificial Intelligence: Emerging Issues in Healthcare and Insurance Public Policy
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, matters relating to professional liability remain unsettled.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Jun 05, 2023
Building a Culture of Safety in Healthcare, Part Four: Just Culture
In the final installment of his series on safety culture, Dr. David Feldman describes how a just culture promotes both patient safety and professional satisfaction.
From
The Doctor’s Advocate
Effective Obstetrical Team Communication
Effective communication requires a team effort for the exchange of concise and relevant information.
Professional Education
Loss Lessons: Practicing Out of Bounds
Unlicensed staff are vital to efficient patient flow in medical practice. Healthcare organizations have many tasks that are safely and effectively carried out by skilled unlicensed support staff every day. To reach such efficiencies with safety and reliability, careful attention must be given to scope of practice and state and local statutes regarding delegation and supervision. Policies and protocols that outline the scope of practice for unlicensed staff to follow independently, and when they must consult with licensed staff, help even the most talented of your staff understand their boundaries. This case illustrates how informal verbal guidelines can blur the lines and cause well-meaning staff to cross the boundary lines of their scope leading to misdiagnosis and death.
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.
February 21, 2024, Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Professional Liability: The Problem That Will Not Go Away
The frequency of malpractice claims in the United States has trended downward in the last 10 to 15 years, however, there is an upward trend in the “severity” of claims, driven in large part by “nuclear” jury verdicts. Cardiologists and other clinicians should always be aware that a lack of communication is a common causal factor in malpractice suits. Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and CEO, The Doctors Company and TDC Group, investigates claim amounts and severity alongside three prominent physicians.
About The Doctors Company
As the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, The Doctors Company has always been guided by our mission: To advance, protect, and reward the practice of good medicine.
