Family Medicine/Primary Care

Video Nov 18, 2022
What to Expect from Litigation: Dr. Grollo's Perspective
Dennis Grollo, MD, a family physician, describes a malpractice case against him involving a long-time patient and allegations of using an out-of-state pharmacy. Dr. Grollo worked as a team with his attorney and The Doctors Company claims specialist to provide a strong defense with the support of medical and phone records. In the end, the jury exonerated him.

Oct 24, 2022
Why Medical Clearance Is Really a Preoperative Evaluation
Debra Davidson, MJ, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, and David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group; Senior Vice President, Healthcare Risk Advisors
The goals of the preoperative evaluation are to determine the patient's level of risk and to identify opportunities to mitigate it.

Oct 20, 2022
Job Shadowing: Observers, Volunteers, and Students in Clinical Settings
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Management Consultant, The Doctors Company
Create guidelines to prevent practice risks, eliminate patient harm, and protect patient privacy.

Professional Education
Delayed Diagnosis of Sepsis (Claims Corner CME)
In reviewing closed malpractice claims, The Doctors Company has identified delayed diagnosis and treatment of sepsis as a serious problem that can result in significant morbidity and mortality. This article highlights the importance of timely recognition of symptoms that point to a diagnosis of sepsis, and the need for quick initiation of treatment. Factors contributing to the delayed diagnosis and treatment of sepsis are discussed, including clinical judgment errors such as failure to note the importance of significant clinical symptoms, failure to seriously consider sepsis as high on the differential diagnosis, failure to use a sepsis recognition tool as an adjunct to the exam, failure to order appropriate tests to rule out sepsis before assuming another diagnosis, and failure to admit the patient to the hospital for treatment.
0.8 credit

Video Oct 14, 2022
New Thinking About Primary Care and Practice Redesign
Megan Mahoney, MD, MBA, Professor and Chair of the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine and member of The Doctors Company Board of Governors, explains how she developed a new model for providing the most efficient and high-quality care in her practice.

Oct 12, 2022
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now 988, an easy-to-remember number for 24/7 crisis care.

Sep 22, 2022
Mental Health Providers: Balancing Privacy With Public Welfare
Richard F. Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, and Robert Morton, MAS, CPPS, Assistant Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Since spring 2020, patients have reported ideation of harm with increasing frequency. These encounters create a moral dilemma for mental health providers, who must maintain provider-patient privilege while adhering to legal reporting obligations for protecting the public welfare.

Sep 16, 2022
Reduce Patient Safety Risks With Vaccinations, Including COVID-19
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
Vaccine administration is usually regarded as a simple office procedure, often performed without the direct supervision of the physician or a licensed professional. Although vaccinations are a routine procedure, physicians and staff should remain vigilant about patient safety considerations. Whether you’re seeing children for COVID-19 vaccinations or adults for travel abroad or general disease prevention, take time now to assess the vaccine administration protocol in your practice.

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 7: Questions and Answers - What Physicians Ask About Diagnosing and Treating Dementia
This activity consists of eight videos and is the seventh in a series of courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer's and related dementia. This course focuses on the common concerns and questions expressed by physicians about dementia and cognitive impairment. This course covers making the initial observation of cognitive decline and beginning a conversation with older adult patients, overcoming common barriers to making a definitive diagnosis of dementia, and managing the ongoing clinical needs of patients experiencing dementia.
1.5 credits

Aug 26, 2022
Dispensing Sample Medications: Risk Management Strategies
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
If not carefully managed, sample medications can create issues that place patients and the practice at risk.

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 6: Pharmacological Management of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia
This is the sixth in the series of on-demand webinars training on screening, evaluation, and management of dementia. This webinar details how to discern the signs and symptoms of dementia from other psychiatric issues, and how to effectively treat these symptoms with pharmacological interventions.
1.5 credits

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 5 : Use of Pharmacotherapy for Patients with Major Neurocognitive Disorder
This activity includes video lectures and is the fifth in a series of courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This fifth course focuses on the most frequently used and FDA-approved prescription medications for Alzheimer's disease and dementias, the current research regarding its use, and guidelines for prescribing and discontinuing medication. The program will incorporate cultural values and beliefs when creating and sharing the pharmacological care plan.
1.8 credits

Professional Education
Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing (Champions for Health)
In 2019, an estimated 10.1 million Americans aged 12 years or older misused opioids in the past year. Specifically, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers. The origin of this epidemic began in the 1990s when the pharmaceutical industry promoted the use of opioids as a nonaddictive solution to treat pain. Since then, nearly 500,000 people have died from an opioid overdose. This program aims to reengage physicians with the CDC's guidelines for opioid safety by using real scenarios, case reviews, and at least five achievable, behavior changing objectives. The program also addresses cultural linguistic competency and implicit bias.
1.8 credits

Jul 28, 2022
Defensible Medical and Dental Records
Richard F. Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
Patient records, which serve a critical function in healthcare delivery and routine clinical operations, can provide key evidence in the event of a professional liability action.

Professional Education
Preventing Diagnostic Error in Primary Care: Strategies for Advanced Practice Clinicians
Diagnostic errors occur often in primary care settings and can impact over 12 million outpatients annually. This is a top patient safety concern and a global burden among advanced practice clinicians (APCs). Significant patient harm can occur due to treatment delay, testing, or misdiagnosis. This course is an opportunity to promote awareness and visibility by identifying where these errors occur most often in the diagnostic process of care framework. Examples of some best practices for the diagnostic process involves a timely and accurate diagnosis, patient engagement, effective system processes, active follow up, and communication. The information in this course will focus heavily on prevention strategies related to the primary care setting.
0.8 credit

Professional Education
Understanding and Preventing Adverse Events (HRA)
This enduring activity will explore patient safety and quality through multiple lenses. The initial session addresses the value of understanding adverse events, the second session focuses on engaging the C-suite, and the third covers teaching these topics to students, residents, attending, and other healthcare professionals.
1.3 credits

May 31, 2022
The Role of the Medical Assistant in Your Office Practice
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
A medical assistant (MA) can be a valuable addition to an office practice, but MAs should not perform tasks outside their scope of practice.

Professional Education
HIPAA Fundamentals 2022–2023 Edition
This on-demand program provides an orientation to the basic requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA gives patients many rights with respect to their health information. This program provides details on the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, such as the type of information that is protected, who must comply with the rules, and how patient information can be used and disclosed. This on-demand program includes many resources useful to staff training.
1.5 credits

Apr 01, 2022
Delay in Diagnosing Breast Cancer: A Case Summary and Tips to Reduce Risk
Lisa M. McCorkle, MSN, MBA, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
A delay in diagnosing breast cancer may result when a patient doesn’t follow through with diagnostic recommendations.

Mar 03, 2022
Challenges of Cultural Diversity in Healthcare: Protect Your Patients and Yourself
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education, The Doctors Company
A clinician’s cultural competence is critically important in helping to eliminate health disparities and social disadvantages for all patients, regardless of their ethnicity or race.

Professional Education
Burnout: Spotlight on System Changes
There is a national movement to address the systemic causes of clinician burnout. Read the article "Clinician Burnout: From a Crisis to a Movement" to learn ways that clinicians can create system change in their own work environments.
0.5 credit

Feb 23, 2022
Pediatrics: Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences
Marcie Ward, RN, Senior Clinical Consultant, Medical Advantage, and Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
The role of the pediatrician, which encompasses the management of a child’s physical, behavioral, and mental health, is critical in preventing and mitigating childhood adversity and trauma.

Professional Education
Safe Opioid Prescribing for Physicians and Dentists
Opioids play an important role in pain management—both in the acute and the chronic setting, but a variety of causes have contributed to an opioid-related epidemic leading to addiction and death. There has also been substantial misuse of opioids by prescription and by diversion.
2.5 credits

Dec 06, 2021
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know
Julie Brightwell, JD, RN, Director, Healthcare Systems Patient Safety, The Doctors Company
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Early diagnosis provides important benefits to diagnosed individuals, their loved ones and caregivers, and society.

Nov 29, 2021
The Evolving Landscape of Diagnostic Errors—Challenges and Opportunities
David E. Newman-Toker, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Otolaryngology, and Director, Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Internationally recognized healthcare leader David E. Newman-Toker, MD, PhD, presents a compelling case example and shares key insights into transforming diagnostic accuracy.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Nov 15, 2021
To Measure and Reduce Diagnostic Error, Start With the Data You Have
David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group; Senior Vice President, Healthcare Risk Advisors
Chief Medical Officer David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, recaps important recommendations by diagnostic safety expert Hardeep Singh, MD, MPH, for measuring and reducing diagnostic error.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Professional Education
Clinical Presentations Cause Delays: Failure to Diagnose Myocardial Infarction
In reviewing closed malpractice claims, The Doctors Company identified missed or delayed diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) in the ambulatory internal medicine setting as a reoccurring problem. This course highlights the importance of recognizing the varying clinical presentations of MI and contributing factors associated with failure to diagnose and treat. Assumptions, lack of a thorough history and physical, communication failures, and failure to recognizing atypical signs and symptoms are highlighted in this case study.
0.5 credit

Professional Education
Delayed Diagnosis of Stroke
In reviewing closed malpractice claims, The Doctors Company identified diagnostic failure as a reoccurring problem and one of the top three leading allegations that result in malpractice claims. This failure often leads to a delay in treatment and causes significant harm to patients. The following highlights the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms of a stroke.
0.5 credit

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 4: Addressing Patients' and Families' Needs through the Disease Stages of Dementia
This activity includes seven video lectures and is the fourth in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This fourth course covers life planning through disease stages, assessing and assisting caregivers, improving communications, utilizing community resources, and end of life decision-making. These sensitive conversations with patients. The course finishes with a focus on dementia resources, effective communication strategies, and understanding when it is time to make a referral to a specialist.
1.8 credits

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 2: Evaluation and Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
This activity includes eight video lectures and is the second in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This second course introduces the Alzheimer’s project evaluation algorithm and evaluation instruments and focuses on differential diagnoses. Finally, the course discusses how to prepare and engage in a sensitive dementia diagnosis disclosure with patients and caregivers.
1.5 credits

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 3: Addressing and Managing Behavioral and Environmental Symptoms of Dementia
This activity includes eight video lectures and is the third in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This third course focuses on using the DICE method to assess behavioral symptoms of dementia and create and evaluation treatment plans. This course also covers the careful use of medication during disease management as wells as common behavioral issues with dementia patients including tools for management of these behaviors.
1.3 credits

Professional Education
Alzheimer's 1: Screening for Dementia Among Adults with Cognitive Decline
This activity includes eight video lectures and is the first in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This first course focuses on introducing the Alzheimer’s Project and highlighting the increasingly important role of primary care providers in dementia care. This course also introduces the Alzheimer’s Project cognitive impairment screening algorithm and screening instruments and covers addressing reversible conditions that may present similar symptoms to cognitive impairment.
1.3 credits

Sep 29, 2021
Getting Sued for Breast Cancer Malpractice
Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group
Our closed claims data reveal that suits involving breast cancer are the most common type of cancer-related claim. This article lists the issues that most often lead to claims.

Professional Education
Patient Relations: Spotlight on Challenging Situations
The Doctors Company’s dedicated patient safety risk managers deliver a wide range of expert services and resources to our members—including personal telephone consultations to help guide members through challenging situations. A recent review of our call data shows that “patient relations” and “patient termination” consistently appear as the top reasons that members request assistance. The following strategies can help prevent challenging patient situations and provide guidance if one occurs.
0.5 credit

Aug 04, 2021
Cognitive Assessments in Primary Care: Preparation and Tools May Mitigate Diagnosis Risks
Carol Murray, RHIA, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
Recent reimbursement changes by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allow primary care providers to meet their patients’ mental health needs and help build their practices by performing cognitive assessments.

Jun 29, 2021
Pediatrics: Consider Car Window Hammers for Your Office Emergency Response Kit
Patti L. Ellis, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
Seconds count if an infant, toddler, or young child is accidentally locked inside a hot vehicle. A car window hammer can be a lifesaving tool to include in an emergency response cart or kit.

Professional Education
Risky Practices: Hidden Liabilities Identified by Medical Office Assessments
Office practice assessments by The Doctors Company's patient safety risk managers uncover hidden liability risks, often exposing areas where patients can "fall through the cracks" and leave the practice vulnerable to a malpractice claim. Our Practice Risk INSIGHT, an assessment tool customized by specialty, zeros in on problematic areas. The assessments have been completed across a range of practice environments around the country—from small offices to practices that are part of large integrated delivery systems. In this course, we analyze the results of the Practice Risk INSIGHT assessments, highlight problem-prone areas and offer strategies to minimize liability.
1.3 credits

Jun 11, 2021
Conflicting Guidelines on Screening Mammography Can Pose Risks
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Consultant to The Doctors Company
Breast cancer screening guidelines issued by national organizations and medical specialties have inconsistent recommendations about mammogram screening ages and intervals, which can create potential liability for delayed or missed diagnoses. Learn how to reduce these mammography risks.

Professional Education
Telehealth: Review Your Service Components
Many practices implemented telehealth overnight in response to pandemic restrictions on elective care. Practices already using telehealth saw huge increases in volume. This program presents a roadmap for practices to evaluate their telehealth implementation using the best practice tips identified herein and their own lessons learned.
0.8 credit

Apr 14, 2021
Off-Label Use: Patient Safety Implications
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Management Consultant, and Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
The standard for appropriate off-label use of medications and other products is what other similarly trained physicians would do, not what the manufacturer of the medication or product recommends.

Mar 29, 2021
Is Your Patient a Victim of Human Trafficking?
Amy Wasdin, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
Although trafficking victims rarely find opportunities to interact with others, a visit to a physician or dental practice may provide an opportunity for a victim to receive help. Learn to recognize the signs of human trafficking and know what steps to take.

Mar 08, 2021
Patient Safety Strategies for Dermatology
Susan Shepard, MSN, CPHRM, Senior Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education, The Doctors Company
Take steps to reduce risks in dermatology by reviewing your practices and systems and implementing these strategies.

Feb 23, 2021
Telehealth from the Field: Case Study Involving Remote Monitoring Problems
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company, and Chad Anguilm, MBA, Vice President, In-Practice Technology Services, Medical Advantage, Part of the TDC Group of Companies
Although remote monitoring technologies offer many benefits, they also present potential malpractice risks. Lessons from this case study highlight the importance of careful planning and preparation when incorporating technologies into patient care services.

Professional Education
TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Training in the Office Practice
This course provides an overview of the evidence-based TeamSTEPPS® concepts, tools, and strategies based on the four areas of 1) leadership, 2) mutual support, 3) situation monitoring, and 4) communication. TeamSTEPPS training provides teachable/learnable skills that improve communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals in both acute care and ambulatory care environments.
1.5 credits

Feb 03, 2021
Curbside Consultations: Patient Safety and Legal Risks
Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education; and Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
Physicians should be aware of the potential liability of informal "curbside" consultations, especially if expectations between the physicians are not clearly communicated.

Jan 20, 2021
Implicit Bias Against Obesity: An Opportunity to Improve Patient Safety
Jacqueline Ross, PhD, Coding Director, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Many patients with obesity delay seeking medical care because of previous negative experiences with healthcare providers.

Professional Education
HIPAA for Managers: The High-Level View
The program explores and defines HIPAA policies and procedures, business associate agreements, security assessment and analysis, training requirements, HIPAA compliance requirements, breach events, and informed consent.
1.0 credit

Dec 16, 2020
Nonadherent and Noncompliant Patients: Overcoming Barriers
Richard Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, The Doctors Company
Nonadherent or noncompliant patient conduct—whether intentional or unintentional—can affect clinical outcomes. Our strategies can help you uncover and address compliance barriers.

Professional Education
Prevention of Diagnostic Error in Primary Care
Diagnostic errors occur often in primary care settings and can impact over 12 million outpatients annually. This is a top patient safety concern and a global burden. Significant patient harm can occur due to treatment delay, testing, or misdiagnosis. This course is an opportunity to promote awareness and visibility by identifying where these errors occur most often in the diagnostic process of care framework.
1.0 credit

Professional Education
It's the Little Things: An Introduction to Enhancing Patient Relations and Reducing Risks
It's the Little Things is designed to assist medical practices with improvements in patient interactions by looking at how incorporating hospitality as a focus makes a difference. It has been developed to improve multiple facets of patient interaction.
1.3 credits

Dec 08, 2020
Suicide Prevention: Primary Care Is a Crucial Setting for Identifying Risk
Debra Davidson, MJ, CPPS, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
At any given time, some of your patients are having thoughts of suicide. Effective suicide prevention requires a comprehensive approach.

Dec 02, 2020
The Role of Pretest Probability in the Evaluation of Suspected Venous Thromboembolism
Howard Marcus, MD, FACP
The presenting signs and symptoms of venous thromboembolism are often vague and nonspecific, and early diagnosis—often crucial to the patient’s outcome—may be challenging.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Dec 02, 2020
Could COVID-19 Bring More Patient-Centered Care to Your Practice?
David L. Feldman, MD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Doctors Company, and for the TDC Group of Companies
Our chief medical officer highlights how a patient-centered practice can yield positive outcomes.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Professional Education
Spotlight on Diagnosing PE/DVT
The overall incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) —including both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) —is one case per 1000 patient years. Accurate and timely diagnosis of VTE can be improved with the use of diagnostic guidelines such as Wells criteria and scoring for both DVT and PE.
0.5 credit

Professional Education
Prevention of Medical Errors: CME Risk Management Course for Florida Practices
This activity is specific to Florida statutes and reflects regulations effective February 2020. Few medical errors are attributed to faulty medical judgment. More commonly, they are attributed to system failures inherent in healthcare delivery. By drawing on our professional liability closed claims data, we have identified common performance and diagnostic errors that reflect on the most common issues identified by Florida—wrong site surgery, surgery complications, cancer, Ob/Gyn related conditions, gastroenterology conditions, cardiology issues, neurological issues, and adverse drug events—that will serve as the focal point of this patient safety and risk management course.
2.0 credits

Professional Education
Telemedicine to Telehealth: Trends and Emerging Risks
This course explores challenges and risks such as privacy and security, licensure, and technology concerns that might instigate a malpractice claim. The risks overlay the inherent challenge of replicating the interaction of a traditional, in-person encounter between a provider and a patient, without compromising the standard of care. It also provides resources for clinicians and practice managers to consider when making decisions about deploying telehealth services or to improve existing services.
1.3 credits

Sep 02, 2020
Remote Patient Monitoring
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, Patient Safety Risk Manager II
The adoption of telehealth strategies has soared, including the use of remote devices that collect data and send it to the patient’s doctor in real time. Although remote monitoring has advantages for both providers and patients, it entails cyber liability risks.

Aug 25, 2020
Distracting Devices in Healthcare: Malpractice Implications
Shelley Rizzo, MSN, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager
Digital distraction in healthcare is a threat to patient safety and physician well-being. Personal electronic devices can create a digital distraction so engaging that it consumes awareness, potentially preventing healthcare providers from focusing on the primary task at hand—caring for and interacting with patients.

Professional Education
Making an Informed Consent an Informed Choice: Training for Healthcare Professionals
This activity, designed for doctors, nurses, and other providers, examines problems with the process of healthcare informed consent. It describes the principles of informed consent and highlights the benefits gained from a good informed consent process.
2.3 credits

Jun 15, 2020
Overview of Obesity-Related Malpractice Claims
Paul Nagle, ARM, CPHRM, Director, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
The Doctors Company continues to see an increase in lawsuits involving patients with obesity.

Professional Education
Physician-Patient Relationship: When Does it Begin and When Does it End?
This enduring program will assist the participant in understanding the principles which form the establishment of a physician-patient relationship, as well as the concerns which may result in the need for the physician to consider terminating the physician-patient relationship. Additionally, the concepts of providing patient centered care will be presented for the learner’s consideration.
1.0 credit

Feb 11, 2020
Laboratory and Diagnostic Test Tracking in Ambulatory Practice
Dana Faber, MS PSL, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager
Inadequate clinical laboratory and diagnostic test tracking is a top factor leading to patient injury.

Jan 30, 2020
Doctors: How to Talk to Patients About Nutrition and Diet
Kerin Torpey Bashaw, MPH, RN, Senior Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
No more powerful an approach exists to preventing or even reversing heart disease than improving lifestyle, especially nutrition and diet. The challenge for physicians is finding an effective way to talk about nutrition with their patients, because the usual admonitions to eat better and exercise often do not work.

Jan 17, 2020
Medical Malpractice and Preparticipation Sports Physicals
Michael C. Koester, MD, Slocum Center for Orthopedic and Sports Medicine
Physicians should be aware of liability risks associated with preparticipation sports physicals.

Professional Education
Internal Medicine: When Personal Relationships Interfere with the Standard of Care
Physicians and dentists are often faced with the decision whether to treat friends and families without realizing the inherent risks in doing so. A review of one case will highlight some common circumstances and risks associated with the treatment of friends and family members.
0.8 credit

Dec 12, 2019
Office of National Drug Control Strategy Promotes Building an Addiction Medicine Workforce
Roneet Lev, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Dr. Lev recaps a White House event that focused on the field of addiction medicine.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Dec 05, 2019
Caring for Patients with Diabetes: Risk Management Strategies
Randy Linde, MD, a practicing endocrinologist in Palo Alto, California; updated by Howard Marcus, MD, FACP, Chairman, Texas Alliance for Patient Access
Diabetic patients pose unique risk management concerns for physicians.

Professional Education
Safe and Effective Opioid Prescribing - Georgia Edition
This three-hour learning activity provides instruction on controlled substance prescribing guidelines, recognizing signs of abuse or misuse of controlled substances, and controlled substance prescribing for chronic pain management, as delineated in Georgia Rule 360-15-.01. It also provides tools and resources to assist in educating staff and informing patients.
3.0 credits

Professional Education
Prescribing Opioids Safely
Faced with an opioid-related epidemic that continues to bring addiction and deaths, it is important to define the role of opioids for both acute and chronic pain management. This activity spotlights the epidemic and presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, regulations, studies, and emerging solutions to address the epidemic and allow for effective and appropriate use of these drugs.
2.5 credits

Professional Education
Safe and Effective Opioid Prescribing - Michigan Edition
This three-hour learning activity provides instruction on controlled substance prescribing guidelines, recognizing signs of abuse or misuse of controlled substances, and requirements delineated in Michigan’s law. It also provides tools and resources to assist in educating staff and informing patients.
3.0 credits

Sep 05, 2019
Advanced Practice Provider Closed Claims: What Can We Learn?
Howard Marcus, MD, FACP, and Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety Staff Education
Top allegations in our claims analysis involving advanced practice providers centered on diagnosis.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Aug 27, 2019
Electronic Health Records Continue to Lead to Medical Malpractice Suits
Darrell Ranum, JD, Vice President of Patient Safety and Risk Management
We analyzed 216 medical malpractice claims that closed from 2010 to 2018 in which EHRs contributed to patient injury. The pace of these claims grew, from a low of seven cases in 2010 to an average of 22.5 cases per year in 2017 and 2018. As EHRs approach near-universal adoption, they may become a more prevalent source of patient safety risk.

Jun 13, 2019
The Waning of the Physical Examination and Its Impact on Outcomes
Howard Marcus, MD, FACP
The physical exam should remain a central tool for evaluating and managing patients.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Jun 13, 2019
An Analysis of Malpractice Claims by Physician Gender
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Consultant to The Doctors Company
A gender-specific analysis of 5,897 claims from six medical specialties.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Professional Education
Dementia Behavioral and Environmental Symptoms Management
The third course focuses on using the DICE (Describe, Investigate, Create Treatment Plan, and Evaluate) method to assess behavioral symptoms of dementia and to create effective treatment plans. The course also covers the careful use of medication during disease management, as well as common behavioral issues experienced by patients with dementia, including tools for management of these behaviors.
1.3 credits

Professional Education
Dementia End of Life Planning: Effective Communications with Patients and Families
The fourth course covers important end of life planning topics and concepts, and tips for having these sensitive conversations with patients and family members. The course finishes with a focus on dementia community resources, effective communication strategies, and understanding when it is appropriate to make a referral to a specialist.
1.0 credit

Professional Education
Dementia: Pharmacological Management of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms
This activity includes three video lectures and is the sixth in a series of courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer's and related dementias. This course focuses on the selection and appropriate usage of psychotropic prescription medications to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms most frequently exhibited by patients with Alzheimer's and dementia diagnosis.
1.3 credits

Professional Education
Dementia Screening Among Adults with Cognitive Decline
The first course introduces The Alzheimer’s Project and highlights the increasingly important role of primary care practitioners in dementia care. It presents The Alzheimer’s Project Cognitive Impairment Screening Algorithm and Screening Instruments, and it addresses reversible conditions that may present similar symptoms to cognitive impairment. The course incorporates four videos, each followed by a series of related questions.
1.3 credits

Video Apr 09, 2019
Study of Malpractice Claims Involving Children
Patient safety risks when treating children vary depending on the patient’s age—but communication breakdowns between doctors and patients/families occur in malpractice claims for pediatric patients of ALL ages. Watch this important case study to learn more.

Nov 16, 2018
Opioid Addiction in Pregnant Women and Moms: How to Make a Difference
Hannah Snyder, MD, and Christine Pecci, MD
Treating pregnant women and mothers with opioid addiction calls for a well-informed approach to patient safety.

Jun 07, 2018
Team Synergy: A Critical Core Competency for Safe Care
Lisa McCorkle, MSN, MBA, Patient Safety Risk Manager, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
An account of one group’s efforts to create and sustain a team-oriented culture through teamwork training.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Mar 26, 2018
Nurse Practitioner Closed Claims: Risk Mitigation Strategies
Strategies to help nurse practitioners and physicians prevent patient injuries.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Mar 09, 2018
Nurse Practitioner Closed Claims Study: Top Risks in the Changing Delivery of Primary Care
Our study of nurse practitioner medical malpractice claims, compared against family medicine and internal medicine claims, identifies the top patient safety risks that may lead to adverse events.

Aug 28, 2017
Obstetrical Closed Claims: What Can We Learn?
Robin Diamond, JD, RN, Senior Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, and Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education
These lessons learned from our analysis of closed obstetrical claims are part of our CME article series.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Mar 16, 2017
Analysis of Medication-Related Claims from The Doctors Company
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
Dr. David Troxel reviews 1,770 closed by The Doctors Company in which patient harm involved medication factors.
From The Doctor’s Advocate

Please select a content type from the menu.

Show by type: