Risk Management
Course Overview
The course begins with an overview of risk management and related issues, emphasizing the need for primary care clinicians to establish risk management strategies in their practice. A definition of tort (personal-injury) law and several legal issues related to malpractice lay the foundation for a better understanding of such key concepts as medical negligence and the standard of care, adequate informed consent, statutes of limitations, and measure of damages. In addition, the course discusses malpractice-related laws such as apology statutes, good Samaritan laws, and charitable immunity laws; knowledge of these laws can help healthcare professionals better protect themselves from malpractice. Descriptions of the common characteristics of malpractice claims and the consequences of malpractice are included to enhance healthcare professionals' understanding of the underlying causes and motivations of malpractice claims and to improve their ability to handle a malpractice lawsuit. Tort reform is addressed to enable clinicians to become familiar with the proposed solutions to malpractice problems and participate in this national debate. The course closes with a brief discussion of the initial steps involved in responding to a malpractice claim and minimizing loss.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Define the most important issues and trends related to risk management and malpractice.
- Define the key concepts in malpractice.
- Outline malpractice-related laws, such as Good Samaritan laws, charitable immunity laws, and apology statutes.
- Identify the most common underlying causes and characteristics of malpractice claims.
- Describe the consequences of malpractice with respect to healthcare delivery and personal and professional effects on physicians.
- Describe measures to enhance patient-physician communication, ensure appropriate disclosure of errors to patients, and guarantee adequate informed consent.
- Develop efficient office processes to enhance documentation, diagnosis, test tracking, medication management, and other issues.
About the Author/Presenter
Lori L. Alexander, MTPW, ELS, MWC, is President of Editorial Rx, Inc., which provides medical writing and editing services on a wide variety of clinical topics and in a range of media. A medical writer and editor for more than 30 years, Ms. Alexander has written for both professional and lay audiences, with a focus on continuing education materials, medical meeting coverage, and educational resources for patients. She is the Editor Emeritus of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) Journal, the peer-review journal representing the largest association of medical communicators in the United States. Ms. Alexander earned a Master’s degree in technical and professional writing, with a concentration in medical writing, at Northeastern University, Boston. She has also earned certification as a life sciences editor and as a medical writer.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Physician
If you require special accommodations, please contact Colibri Healthcare Support by clicking here: Contact Us
