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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. 0.25 credits
The Doctors Company Awarded Great Place to Work Certification for Third Time
The Doctors Company, the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, announced today it has been Certified as a Great Place to Work for the third time. The recognition is based entirely on what current employees say about working at The Doctors Company, with 89 percent of employees saying it’s a great place to work.
Professional Education
Loss Lessons: Recognition of Wernicke Encephalopathy
Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is a syndrome commonly seen in patients with alcohol use disorder who do not take adequate thiamine. WE should be suspected in any patient with conditions that may lead to malnutrition in combination with any of the following symptoms: altered mental status ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, delirium, and hypotension. Considered a medical emergency, it must be reversed to prevent permanent deficits. This case illustrates a cascade of errors which led to permanent disability. Some practical interventions to quickly recognize and reverse the condition are offered following the case presentation, which will be helpful for gastroenterology/gastroenterologists, ophthalmology/ophthalmologists, and neurology/neurologists.
Professional Education
Reducing the Risk of a Malpractice Claim
This enduring program is designed to assist physicians, dentists, and advanced practice clinicians, improve patient safety by providing information on how to implement a root cause analysis (RCA2) when a near-miss, or injury has been identified. Real cases serve as examples of how sustainable change can minimize human and environmental factors while decreasing system failures and reducing the risk of a malpractice claim.
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.
National Trends and Key Takeaways from the 2024 Election
Our Government Relations Advocacy Updates summarize legislative and judicial actions that impact medical liability and the practice of medicine. The latest issue highlights the results of the 2024 election and reflects on TDC Group's engagement in the election.
October 16, 2022, The Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner
Avoiding Medical Malpractice: An Interview with David Feldman, MD, MBA
Dr. David L. Feldman, Chief Medical Officer for The Doctors Company, speaks with Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN, Associate Professor of Neurology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, on ways to improve patient outcomes and prevent medical malpractice.
Professional Education
Cardiology Medical Malpractice Case Study: A Lesson in 'Three P' Analysis
Clinicians, such as primary care and cardiologists, who routinely evaluate and treat patients with cardiac conditions, may benefit from insight from a real cardiology closed claims lawsuit and what factors contributed to it. They will learn the concept of the “Three P” analysis as a strategy to minimize the risk of professional liability litigation. This educational activity explains the various issues that led to the filing of the lawsuit and why it was dismissed, such as good documentation, which is often a prevailing factor in successfully defending a professional liability lawsuit.