| The Doctor’s Advocate | Fourth Quarter 2004 |
Industry and Company News
Donald J. Palmisano, M.D., J.D., F.A.C.S., Joins Board of Governors
We are pleased to announce that Donald J. Palmisano, M.D., J.D., F.A.C.S., has been appointed to our board.
Donald J. Palmisano, M.D., J.D., F.A.C.S., is a New Orleans general and vascular surgeon in private practice since 1970. He serves as Clinical Professor of Surgery and Clinical Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Palmisano is president of Intrepid Resources®, a medical risk management company, was president of the Louisiana State Medical Society in 1984–85 and, from 1999–2003, was a member of the Board of the Joint Commission On Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). In 2003–2004 he served as president of the American Medical Association (AMA) with nine years of AMA Board of Trustees service. He serves on the board of the National Patient Safety Foundation, has testified before Congress on numerous occasions, and is a frequent speaker who is widely quoted on medical liability reform and patient safety.
“Dr. Palmisano is a respected surgeon and recognized leader in the fight for medical liability reform,” said Richard E. Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.P., chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company. “We are proud to have him join us as a member of our board.”
Fifth Annual Legal Reform Summit a Success
On October 14, the nation’s leading legal reform advocates gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 2004 Legal Reform Summit. Hosted by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform and the National Chamber Foundation in partnership with The Doctors Company, this year’s event focused on the state of the legal reform movement and its importance to the U.S. economy.
Dr. Anderson led a panel discussion on “Is the Legal System Dangerous to Your Health?” and participated as a presenter during the awards luncheon. Please visit us online to learn more about this year’s event.
Assessment Tool for Patient Selection
We’ve enclosed our new Assessment Tool for Patient Selection. This tool, which any member of your office staff can use, will help you rate prospective patients who request elective procedures. For additional color copies, please contact our Risk Management/Patient Safety Department at (800) 421-2368, extension 243.
New Ways to Avoid Risk
With continuous change affecting every aspect of care today, keeping informed has never been more important. Our latest article, “Terminating Patient Relationships,” will show you the best way to:
- Identify appropriate situations for terminating a patient
- End a patient relationship without incurring abandonment charges
- Implement the proper procedures for terminating a patient
- Recognize when it is acceptable to send a patient to collection
Our extensive collection of Risk Management Strategies articles can help you make your practice even safer. Read all of our articles and learn more about our nationwide risk management services online in our Reduce Your Risk section.
Need a Certificate of Insurance or Credentialing Report?
We’ve made it easy for you to give your trusted office staff the ability to view, print, e-mail, or fax your credentialing reports and Certificates of Insurance. Have your administrator or office manager call (800) 421-2368 and select option 7 at the voice prompt. We will verify information that identifies your practice and will mail a secure confirmation letter with an activation code directly to your practice address listed in our system.
We’re Listening
We received 1,491 responses to our third quarter Advocatesurvey on how the medical malpractice crisis is affecting physicians. The comments and data we received clearly show that our members are concerned about the future of medicine. Here’s what you told us:
- 48 percent are considering changing their practice to reduce their exposure to risk.
- 72 percent believe that the results of this year’s elections will directly impact their career as a physician.
- 89 percent believe that an administration opposed to medical-legal reform will prompt more physicians to retire or relocate to a state with effective tort laws in place.
Our thanks to those who participated. Your responses are invaluable in helping us advocate for effective medical liability reform. To participate in future surveys by e-mail, please send your name, your policy number, and your preferred e-mail address to memberservice@thedoctors.com.
The Doctor’s Advocate is published by The Doctors Company to advise and inform its members about loss prevention and insurance issues.
The guidelines suggested in this newsletter are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. They attempt to define principles of practice for providing appropriate care. The principles are not inclusive of all proper methods of care nor exclusive of other methods reasonably directed at obtaining the same results.
The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each health care provider in light of all circumstances prevailing in the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
The Doctor’s Advocate is published quarterly by Corporate Communications, The Doctors Company. Letters and articles, to be edited and published at the editor’s discretion, are welcome. The views expressed are those of the letter writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of The Doctors Company. Please sign your letters, and address them to the editor.