Cyberthreats, staffing shortages, aggressive payer audits, and evolving scope-of-practice laws all add new layers of exposure. Our posts break risks into clinical, operational, financial, and reputational categories and suggest mitigation tactics suited to solo offices, group practices, and hospital-employed providers.
Blogs include downloadable informed-consent addenda, social-media guidelines, and incident-reporting forms that satisfy legal standards while fitting real-world workflow constraints.
We explain malpractice policy structures, occurrence vs. claims-made coverage, and captive insurance options.
Effective risk management requires engaged leadership. Posts outline strategies—regular safety huddles, anonymous reporting channels, and just-culture scorecards—that encourage proactive issue identification.
From ransomware response plans to supply-chain contingency mapping, we translate high-level frameworks into checklists that clinics can adapt to their size and specialty.
Most physicians know the requirements that must be met when terminating the doctor-patient relationship. The requirements must be satisfied to avoid a charge of abandonment with a medical board. You must give the patient sufficient time to find another doctor. The language often reads as “we remain available to treat you for urgent or emergent conditions related to our … Read more
Doctors can often sense when trouble is brewing. They may be scrutinized more than their fair share. Multiple peer review events. Several “cup of coffee conversations” with leadership. Sometimes it’s better to leave sooner rather than later. I’ve heard these recommendations made multiple times: “Why Don’t You Take a Leave of Absence for 30 days? … Read more
About one mile from our office sits the historic Julian Price mansion. This is what it looks like today. Nice, right? The prior owner fell onto hard times. The bank foreclosed on the property. And it took more than five years to evict the delinquent owner. The prior owner, Sandra Cowart, was featured on the … Read more
No one likes to be ignored. If you are talking to someone, you reasonably expect they will listen. If the “listener” is not listening, their next step is to turn up the volume. If a Board of Medicine writes to you seeking an explanation for care you rendered plus a copy of the full medical … Read more
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere. It’s being used to transcribe visits, summarize research, draft letters, and more. Some say it’s the future of medicine. Others say it’s the Wild West. A question I’ve been asked more than once:“If I use AI in my practice, can I get sued?” Short answer: Yes. But let’s unpack that. … Read more
I am often asked this question: I was asked to be a Medical Director for an aesthetic practice. They say I do not have to be on site. My obligation will be minimal. I just have to review an occasional chart. And be available to discuss in case there’s some type of emergency. And I’ll … Read more
As a physician practicing in 2025, protecting yourself from medico-legal threats is a no-brainer, no matter your practice area. You need to make sure that your reputation is shielded from unhappy patients leaving defamatory reviews, that your paper agreements with patients contain basic protections from frivolous lawsuits, and that you know where to turn in … Read more
Physicians sometimes have to say no to patient requests. Often, the “No” with an explanation suffices. The patient gets it. They understand. They’re not angry. In fact, they may be appreciative. But not always. Sometimes “No” is followed by denial, anger, bargaining, depression, etc. Sound familiar? How one says “No” matters as much as what … Read more
The doctor-patient relationship is an intimate relationship. It is based on trust. One of the tenets of trust is that it will not be exploited for personal gain. Doctors become aware of patients’ most private secrets. And their vulnerabilities. Still, medicine is “hands-on.” Examination of the patient often requires touch. And, if a patient initiates … Read more
Most telemedicine visits are little more than visual addendums to standard phone call encounters. Still, they add a face to a voice. One can pick up on body language. And they do enable limited examinations. For example, does the patient have a tremor? If so, what type? How would you characterize the patient’s gait? Is … Read more
