You probably didn’t know that you could be at risk if a disgruntled patient files a lawsuit against you and you thought you had the right type of coverage.

In Dr. Stacie Macdonald’s practice at the Washington Township Medical Foundation in Fremont, California, there’s plenty of technology. But the most sophisticated tool Dr. Macdonald brings to her practice is simple human compassion.

Last year, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 72, which forbids balance billing for out-of-network care at in-network hospitals or facilities. The law took effect July 1 of this year.

Whether you employ one person – even only your spouse – or 100, how engaged your staff members are has a ripple effect on your practice.

In a new case, a California Court of Appeal has held that conducting a formal peer review proceeding does not always provide a defense against a physician’s claim of retaliation.