The Doctor’s Advocate | Fourth Quarter 2015
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Industry and Company News:
Fourth Quarter 2015

A.M. Best Affirms Our Excellent Ratings and Stable Outlook

A.M. Best has affirmed our financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent), our issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” (Excellent), and our “stable” outlook. The A (Excellent) rating is assigned only to select companies with excellent ability to meet ongoing insurance policy and contract obligations. The “a” ICR is assigned to entities that have an excellent ability to meet their ongoing senior financial obligations.

A.M. Best said the ratings reflect that the company’s balance sheet is strong, as evidenced by supportive risk-adjusted capitalization, modest underwriting leverage, sound liquidity, and adequate loss reserves. An additional positive factor, A.M. Best said, is that the company’s earnings have been bolstered by better-than-average underwriting performance. The rating agency noted this is mainly reflective of the group’s fundamental underwriting, pricing, and claims-handling principles in addition to management’s directive of exiting non-profitable venues and lines of business, primarily non-affiliated assumed reinsurance.

“We are pleased that A.M. Best continues to recognize The Doctors Company’s exceptional financial strength and mission-driven operational excellence,” said Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, chairman and CEO.

Top Attorneys Hone Defense Strategies at Summit

When it comes to defending your livelihood and reputation, we seize every opportunity to gain the advantage. We recently brought together more than 300 of the country’s premier legal defense attorneys and malpractice industry experts for our 2015 National Legal Summit. The summit is central to our mission to provide members with the industry’s most aggressive claims defense by keeping top defense teams up to date on new developments.

“The Doctors Company is relentless in protecting and defending our members,” said David McHale, senior vice president and general counsel. “At this summit, defense attorneys who represent our members heard from experts on emerging national and local topics, litigation strategies, and best practices. Our goal was to provide them with the superior advantage that comes from a comprehensive understanding of the issues surrounding medical malpractice litigation.”

Members: Stay on Top of Healthcare Changes and Earn CME Credits

We have partnered with The Camden Group, one of the nation’s largest healthcare business advisory firms, to provide a series of webinars designed to help you keep pace with today’s evolving healthcare environment.

The complimentary series, presented exclusively for members, focuses on population health management and offers insights into clinical integration and value-based care.

Upcoming Webinars in 2016:

January 20		Community-Based Services/Caregivers and Lifestyle Management
February 3		Heart Failure
March 16		Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement/ Insurance and Financial Risk

Join us online

We’re your source for timely healthcare and liability news—including emerging medical trends and CME opportunities. Stay informed by following us on our industry-leading social media channels.

The Doctor’s Advocate is published by The Doctors Company to advise and inform its members about loss prevention and insurance issues.

The guidelines suggested in this newsletter are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. They attempt to define principles of practice for providing appropriate care. The principles are not inclusive of all proper methods of care nor exclusive of other methods reasonably directed at obtaining the same results.

The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each healthcare provider considering the circumstances of the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.

The Doctor’s Advocate is published quarterly by Corporate Communications, The Doctors Company. Letters and articles, to be edited and published at the editor’s discretion, are welcome. The views expressed are those of the letter writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of The Doctors Company. Please sign your letters, and address them to the editor.