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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Professional Education
Failure to Rescue a Recurring Post-Surgical Event (Claims Corner CME)
Claims arising from the perioperative experience are frequent, often preventable, and some of the costliest claims for physicians. One study of surgical claims conducted by The Doctors Company noted that about two out of three general surgeons have been involved in a medical malpractice suit. Malpractice data consistently finds that the most serious and common post-operative complications are unrecognized intestinal puncture or perforation. Diagnostic error by surgeons involving unrecognized intestinal puncture or perforation of an organ can quickly lead to septic shock and death.
Member Credentialing FAQs
Get answers to some of the common questions that members ask during the credentialing process.
Agent Credentialing FAQs
Answers to some of the common questions that agents ask during the credentialing process.
February 14, 2023, Inside Medical Liability Online
Malpractice Case: Could Stronger Post-Op Follow-Up Have Prevented this Infection after Knee Replacement?
This article discusses important lessons learned and risk prevention strategies from a study of hip and knee replacement closed malpractice claims by David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group, and Jacqueline Ross, PhD, RN, CPAN, Coding Director, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company.
Political Action Committees
The Doctors Company’s state and federal political action committees (DOCPACs) are powerful in advocating for and defending medical liability reforms in their respective states and in Congress.
December 01, 2024, South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
The Rising Threat of Nuclear Verdicts in Medical Malpractice: A Call for Tort Reform
Dr. Patricia Ares-Romero discusses the increasing trend of "nuclear verdicts"—jury awards exceeding $10 million—in medical malpractice cases. She highlights insights from Bob White, President of The Doctors Company and TDC Group, noting that from 2013 to 2023, these verdicts surged by 67%, with the average award among the top 50 malpractice verdicts rising from $32 million in 2022 to $48 million in 2023.
Professional Education
Safe Opioid Prescribing for Physicians and Dentists
This enduring activity meets controlled substances requirements for a national audience (not state-specific). Opioids play an important role in pain management—both in the acute and the chronic setting, but a variety of causes have contributed to an opioid-related epidemic leading to addiction and death. There has also been substantial misuse of opioids by prescription and by diversion. With the spotlight on the epidemic guidelines, regulations, studies, and solutions are emerging, including recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can address the epidemic and allow for effective and appropriate use of these drugs.
Social Inflation/Nuclear Verdicts
Nuclear verdicts are a result of social inflation, which occurs when the average cost to resolve a medical malpractice claim rises faster than general inflation. Get expert insight into how this escalating crisis impacts the healthcare system.