While the internet offers us so much access to the medical information we need at our fingertips, one has to wonder “Does this mean that we have too much information?” With a click of a mouse button we have information about which physician or surgeon can take care of our medical condition, how they should take care of our medical condition and possible complications of that care. Is this information educating us to become a populous of patients with unrealistic expectations and litigious actions?
Patients today want immediate fixes for their medical needs as we have been accustomed to with instant information available from the internet. Do these unrealistic expectations lead to doctors needing to use their medical liability insurance? In this day of “internet education” can we protect ourselves from the many issues that range from medical malpractice insurance to billing errors and government investigations? When you consider the exposure that each doctor or medical provider faces, the need today for truly educated medical malpractice insurance professionals emerges.
Considerations for Your Medical Malpractice Insurance
Your choice in today’s “informed environment” should include a two fold question. One, am I properly covered for my medical malpractice insurance? The premium cost for your liability policy should be a serious consideration. There are many aspects of a physician’s medical liability that need to be understood since there numerous different medical liability insurance policies readily available to medical practices today.
Who Am I Working With?
The medical malpractice insurance professional that you choose to represent your risk should have the knowledge and connections of multiple medical liability insurance companies. This is necessary to educate yourself in many aspects of liability to ensure proper coverage. For example, gaps (i.e medical malpractice, errors and omissions, medical directorship, medical spa activities) that are not covered by your current policy, the representation you face during government investigations (i.e. RAC audits, Medicare) and/or the improper access of an outside source to your electronic medical records (EMR).
Communication between the patient and the doctor is an important part of a doctors risk management, and avoiding being forced to use their medical malpractice insurance. The internet has given patients a number of different ways to communicate with their physician or surgeon. Email, social media and smart phones are giving patients quick access to their doctor. It is important for doctors to set expectations with their patients in order to avoid an unsatisfied result.
Unsatisfied expectations are the first step in a patient eventually filing a claim in an effort to receive an award from the physician’s medical malpractice insurance company. Patients often just want to voice their concern and know that their physician has a genuine interest in their health. It is an important risk management tool for physicians to clearly state to their patients how they can communicate with their physician and medical office.
Cyber Liability is a Growing Risk for Physician Practices
There is a very strong push for electronic medical records in today’s medical community. These medical records are connected to the internet. Medical malpractice insurance companies are now offering cyber liability protection to their medical liability insurance policies. Cyber liability insurance protects physicians in the event that their digital data becomes compromised. Physicians need to make sure that they have this coverage on their medical malpractice insurance policy.
