Missouri Medical Malpractice Insurance Summary

The Missouri Department of Insurance has released its 2010 Missouri Medical Malpractice Insurance Report, which is available here.    The MO Dept. of Insurance has collected data on Missouri medical malpractice claims for more than 30 years.  This is important data for physicians, hospitals, and insurance companies because it shows how claim frequency and severity fluctuates from year to year. …

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What Happens When Medical Information Goes Missing?

Every physician and healthcare worker has heard the serious warnings related to HIPAA Violations.  For most, being cautious, following the rules, and putting safeguards in place protects them from breaches of patient privacy and the resulting penalties.  But what if someone outside of your practice loses data about your patients’ health, medical records, or personal information?  You could be held responsible.  Of course…

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You May Be Exposed!

Physicians and groups may have exposure to risks that their Medical Malpractice Insurance Policy doesn’t cover.  A growing trend with MedMal carriers is to include some coverage for additional risks traditionally excluded.  As an example, Medicus Insurance Company adds their Gold Advantage endorsement at no cost to all MedMal policies.  This includes coverage for HIPAA Violations, Medical Board Reviews, RAC…

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Good Physician-Patient Communication is Sometimes the Best Medicine

It’s no surprise that the content of most physician Risk Management courses and seminars focuses on improving communication with patients.  This is because experts know that better communication between physicians and their patients reduces the likelihood of a medical malpractice lawsuit.  This fact has been proven again recently in a new survey of doctors and patients, which was commissioned by…

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Does Saying Sorry Mean Liability?

It seems like a common courtesy to say “I’m sorry” when someone is upset with you for some reason.  Like when you bump into to another shopper in line at the grocery store.  You might apologize even if it wasn’t your fault.  “Oops, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get in your way.”  A statement like that can make the…

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