Video Jul 29, 2024
What Is the Reptile Theory and How Does It Impact Medical Malpractice Verdicts?
Plaintiff’s lawyers are using “Reptile Theory”—leveraging the “fight or flight” instinct in jurors—to maximize malpractice verdicts higher than ever seen before. Learn how this dangerous trend of overcoming logic and reason in the courtroom is leading to social inflation and increased healthcare costs in this video featuring Robert White, President of The Doctors Company and TDC Group.
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January 29, 2025, ACS Practice Management
Lessons Learned from a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit: Aortic Surgery in a Patient with Significant Underlying Coronary Disease
David Han, MD, FACS, and Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, discuss the complications and critical decision-making errors in a case of aortic surgery on a patient with severe coronary disease. The article emphasizes the importance of thorough preoperative evaluation and considering all surgical options to manage complications effectively.
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.
Video May 22, 2024
What Is Social Inflation?
Healthcare practices and institutions are affected by the same economic forces that impact the communities and business climates in which they operate. Social inflation has reshaped numerous markets, but its effect on healthcare has been monumental. But what exactly is social inflation? Robert White, President of The Doctors Company and TDC Group and industry-leading expert on the impact of social inflation on medical professional liability, explains in this short clip.
Kathryn A. Bowen
Kathryn Bowen is the executive vice president of Madison Healthcare Insurance Services in Huntington Beach, California. She has been working in medical malpractice insurance for over 20 years.
December 15, 2023, Inside Medical Liability
MPL Cases: What Are the Primary Drivers of High-Indemnity Medical Malpractice Claims?
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, and Kathrine Soulsby, RN, BSN, Senior Patient Safety Analyst, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, investigate high-dollar medical malpractice litigation and explain how reducing diagnostic errors is paramount to enhancing patient safety and mitigating loss costs.
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.
Health and Disability Insurance
A benefit program customized for your staff’s health and disability insurance needs. In today’s healthcare environment, the challenges of running a medical group are complex. We offer consultative, customized and innovative solutions to reduce and control costs, manage employee benefits, and safeguard your practice.
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.
Telephone Triage and Advice: Patient Safety Strategies
Communications involving telephone triage and advice present a significant area of liability exposure for practitioners.