Risk Management Publications

As every patient visit concludes with a documented office visit encounter, the visit note should include when the patient is advised to return. It is important for the physician to document when a patient should return to the office and for what purpose.

CAP announced the release of its newest data study, A Focused Review of Radiology Closed Claims. While the central theme of the study is radiology, the data will be valuable to any practice that regularly utilizes radiology services. It is currently available for free here.

Risk management has always been a central component of CAP’s strategy to help its member physicians. Through its Risk Management Program, CAP provides a unique blend of services designed to help member physicians control the risks inherent in today’s practice of medicine and, thus, mitigate potential claims. 

The increasing use of electronic health records (EHR) has resulted in an increased ability to electronically track activities that occur within a specific medical record. This is accomplished by review of the metadata, audit trails, or audit logs. 

In our latest data study, CAP Risk Management staff evaluated 68 closed claims radiology cases that resulted in an indemnity payment between 2006 and 2015. Through claims analysis, we have identified areas to improve the medical diagnostic process. 

Research shows that communication and early resolution programs, such as Stanford’s PEARL Program and COPIC Insurance Company’s 3Rs Program, have been successful in helping both patients and providers during the stressful time after an adverse event.

The California Supreme Court has wrested back into the workers’ compensation system a claim of medical malpractice by a worker who alleged injury from a utilization review decision. The case overrules a lower court decision handed down in 2016. 

So far this year, business associate breaches account for roughly 12 percent of the total breaches reported to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), or 27 of the 233 reported breaches as of September 19. What does this mean to a covered entity? It means that it’s not enough to require a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Vendors should be diligently vetted.

In a new opinion addressing allegations of elder abuse, the Court of Appeal explains how evidence of simple “negligence” differs from “recklessness” in a nursing facility setting.

Physicians are expected to uphold their ethical obligations toward the patient, and, in turn, the patient is expected to honor the suggestions and recommendations offered by the physician. What steps can the physician take to set these expectations, and what is the best course of action for the physician to follow in the case of the noncompliant patient?