The Doctor’s Advocate | Fourth Quarter 2016
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Industry and Company News
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.
This position as the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurance company has been achieved through profitable underwriting, favorable reserve development, strong patient safety and risk management programs, and successful acquisition strategy, A.M. Best noted.
“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 of The Doctors Company.
New Complimentary CME Courses
We continue to develop complimentary on-demand courses that focus on timely topics and on trends identified through our claims data.
The latest offerings include two additions to Lessons Learned, our series based on closed claims studies. The new courses present findings from recent internal medicine and plastic surgery analyses.
We are also offering Understanding Malpractice Claims and Litigation Proceedings, an introductory course for physicians and staff that provides an overview on the elements of a malpractice claim.
A timely new course, Cybersecurity and Data Breaches, covers the basic steps everyone in your office should take to prevent cyber attacks, monitor security, and respond in the event of an attack.
Find details on these on-demand courses and a list of upcoming seminars and webinars at www.thedoctors.com/cme.
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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.
Fourth Quarter 2016
The Doctor’s Advocate: One Way We’re Taking the Mal Out of Malpractice Insurance
From the Chairman
Perspectives on the Future of Medicine
Director's Forum
The Doctor’s Dilemma
An Ounce of Prevention
Plastic Surgery Closed Claims: What Can We Learn?
Government Relations Report
California Supreme Court Takes a Step to the Left
Foundation News
Foundation Supports Telluride Camp for Health Science Students
Case Studies
What to Expect from Litigation: Dr. Nye’s Perspective
The Back Page
Industry and Company News