Practice Management News and Education

 It’s no secret that healthcare workers are at an increased risk for needle stick or sharps injuries, especially nursing staff, doctors, and lab workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 needle stick injuries occur each year, many going unreported.

California law provides that any adult patient and any minor patient authorized by law to consent to medical treatment, is entitled to inspect and request a copy of their medical record upon written request to the healthcare provider and payment of reasonable costs to make the record available.  (California Health and Safety Code Section 123110)

Medical malpractice lawsuits are no longer based solely on medical errors or missed treatments. Many of these cases are becoming more about the experience of the patient: how he or she feels, and whether he or she felt they were treated fairly or felt mistreated. Here are some tips to mitigate risk and strengthen the patient experience.

In addition to cosponsoring this year’s California Medical Group Management Association Annual Conference, CAP has announced that CAP Vice President of Membership Development Daniel Cavanaugh will start his term as CAMGMA President at the beginning of the conference. The conference is being held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort Palm Springs from March 28-30.

CAP has invited a segment of its members and eligible individuals associated with member practices  to take part in this important survey measuring member interest in future CAP programs and services for practice management.

Entrants who participate in the survey on or before March 29, 2019 will be entered a contest. Three winners will be selected to win the following prizes:

Notwithstanding the usual suspects that hinder electronic medical record implementation — initial costs, interoperability problems, training burdens, and altered physician-patient dynamics — there’s also the risk of a pure system malfunction. In a malpractice suit after an admitted malfunction, a physician’s actions will still be scrutinized.

You may have already read about CAPAdvantage, our suite of no-cost and discounted practice management programs. Leveraging the buying power of your 12,000 member-strong cooperative, all programs are administered by highly reputable, CAP-vetted vendors. But can these programs really save your practice time, money, and aggravation?

According to a new report on sexual harassment released by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, data for fiscal year 2018 shows a more than 50 percent increase in sexual harassment lawsuits filed by the agency, and a more than 12 percent increase in the number of charges it received over fiscal year 2017.

The goal of CAP’s Risk Management and Patient Safety Department is to prevent patient injury, prevent adverse events, and reduce claims by educating physicians to utilize risk strategies across the continuum of care.

If you’re planning to purchase or lease new office space in the coming year – or just need expert support renegotiating your current lease – you’ll definitely want to speak with a dedicated physician consultant from Bailes & Associates, a valued CAPAdvantage* program vendor.