Professional Education
Preventing Errors in Preoperative Clearance (Claims Corner)
Primary care providers (PCPs) routinely manage complex elderly patients with multiple comorbidities who require elective surgery. Errors can occur when providers are rushed, there is a lack of effective interoffice communication, and the patient has a low health literacy. Communication and care coordination issues are commonly noted among PCPs and consulting specialists. The Doctors Company has analyzed closed claims where PCPs have been held responsible for failures in surgical mismanagement, specifically preop clearance. This program will highlight the contributing factors identified in malpractice claims involving medical clearance and provide practice strategies for reducing liability risk.
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Member Benefits for the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons sponsors The Doctors Company. ACS members receive unique benefits, including exclusive program discounts and credits.
December 02, 2022, Medscape
How Blunt Is Too Blunt for Informed Consent?
David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer for The Doctors Company and TDC Group, discusses the critical role of effective communication to ensure patient understanding in the informed consent process.
May 01, 2024, ED Management
Communication Is Major Contributing Factor to ED Malpractice Claims
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director in the Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management at The Doctors Company, discusses emergency department (ED) malpractice claims that contain allegations that delayed diagnoses led to poor outcomes or death.
February 24, 2024, Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
Analysis of Closed Claims Among All Medical Specialties: Importance of Communication and Other Non-Clinical Contributing Factors
Evaluation of contributing factors associated with medical malpractice claims provides important information to optimize the patient–provider relationship. This review of closed claims from The Doctors Company highlights common factors contributing to lawsuits and strategies to avoid them, with a particular focus on communication.
February 19, 2025, JAMA Network Open
Ambient Listening—Legal and Ethical Issues
Ambient listening, which involves using AI to record and analyze conversations between clinicians and patients, is one area of early AI adoption among healthcare professionals. I. Glenn Cohen, JD; Julie Ritzman, MBA, CPHRM; and Richard F. Cahill, JD, provide a comprehensive analysis of the legal and ethical considerations associated with the use of ambient listening technologies in healthcare settings.
Mar 20, 2019
Study of Malpractice Claims Involving Children
The Doctors Company analyzed 1,215 claims filed on behalf of pediatric patients that closed from 2008 through 2017. The study is based on the claims filed against physicians in 52 specialties and subspecialties and includes an overview of the most common types of claims, expert insights into the specific elements that led to patient injury, and risk mitigation strategies.
AM Best Affirms The Doctors Company's ‘A' Excellent Financial Rating and Upgrades the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of Hospitals Insurance Company to ‘a+’
September 30, 2024: AM Best has affirmed The Doctors Company's financial strength rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and its long-term issuer credit rating (ICR) of "a+”. The outlook of these ratings is stable.
Directors and Officers/Management Liability Insurance
Protect your directors and officers from liabilities related to the operation and management of a business. It provides assurance in the event they are sued in conjunction with the performance of their duties as they relate to the healthcare organization—allowing them to make important business decisions without fear of personal financial loss.
January 29, 2025, ACS Practice Management
Lessons Learned from a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit: Aortic Surgery in a Patient with Significant Underlying Coronary Disease
David Han, MD, FACS, and Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, discuss the complications and critical decision-making errors in a case of aortic surgery on a patient with severe coronary disease. The article emphasizes the importance of thorough preoperative evaluation and considering all surgical options to manage complications effectively.
