medpro.com - Risk Management

Expert Risk Management

Proven risk management and patient security. For over a century.
The nation's most continuous and robust risk management solutions.

Medical Protective's team of clinical risk professionals can provide a wealth of risk management information to your facility, including:

Medical Protective is the nation's only primary medmal insurer with:

Top-notch risk management advice from your assigned risk
management consultant.
E-seminars that focus on a variety of risk, quality, and patient-safety
topics – designed just for your clinical teams.
E-newsletters that give you quick updates on emerging risks.
Access to our clinical risk management reference manuals and free,
downloadable resources designed to help ensure consistency between
your healthcare facilities and affiliated clinics and offices.
Customized on-site assessments to meet specific customer concerns.
Online self-assessment tools.
Physician-focused litigation support program for employed medical
staff who are involved in litigation.

Education Services
Professional Continuing Education is one of the most effective tools that healthcare facilities can use to stay current with the latest risk management issues.

Medical Protective offers clinical risk management education for hospital staff on a wide range of topics such as patient safety and satisfaction, team building, relationship skills and difficult conversations. We also provide risk management education for physicians. CMEs are available through home study, e-courses and seminars designed to address your organization’s specific requirements.

Let us guide you.
At Medical Protective, we know how challenging it can be for healthcare facilities to address the many risk, quality and patient safety issues that arise every day. Let us help. We’ll assign a member of our expert risk management team to your facility.

Need to redesign your program?

Want to assess your program’s strengths and weaknesses?

Planning to design some risk-focused education?

Grappling with some agenda issues?

Interested in enjoying these member benefits? All you need to do is to register with our site by clicking Become a Member. Many of the benefits are reserved for our insured.

In addition to the nation's best financial strength, Medical Protective delivers healthcare providers unmatched:
• Financial Strength – Rated the highest from both A.M. Best (A++) and S&P (AAA)
• Proactive and Winning Defense – Longest, most consistent results
• Commitment Since 1899 – Three times longer than our nearest competitor

FAQ-Hospitals:


	1) Question: How does HIPAA apply to professional liability insurance? Specifically, how can professional liability insurers continue to arrange for and maintain medical liability insurance for health care providers covered by the Rule?
Collapse Read the answer
	Response: The Privacy Rule generally permits a covered health care provider to disclose information for “health care operations” purposes, subject to certain requirements. Disclosures by a covered health care provider to a professional liability insurer or a similar entity for the purpose of obtaining or maintaining medical liability coverage or for the purpose of obtaining benefits from such insurance, including the reporting of adverse events, typically fall within “business management and general administrative activities” under the definition of “health care operations.” Therefore, a covered health care provider may generally disclose individually identifiable health information to a professional liability insurer to the same extent as the provider is able to disclose such information for other health care operations purposes. See 45 C.F.R. § 164.501 (definitions) and § 164.502(a)(1)(ii) (permitted disclosures). The intent of the above information contained is to provide general information to address clinical issues. The content is not to be construed as legal or medical advice.


	2) Question: May a patient who has an elevated blood alcohol sign out AMA from the Emergency Department?
Collapse Read the answer
	Response: The answer to this question depends on the specific facts of each case, however, there are general principles to consider. The most significant factor would be the physician assessment: Is the patient competent to make an informed decision? If the physician determines the patient competent, then these patients have the right to refuse care and can sign out AMA. However, if the blood alcohol level exceeds your state’s definition for acceptable driving, the patient should be told not to drive. Even if the blood alcohol level is below your state’s requirement, the patient should be encouraged to find other transportation. Staff should consider contacting family members or a taxi to safely transport the patient. If you believe the patient presents any risk to themselves or others and the patient insists on driving home, you should contact local law enforcement and document the reasons for notification. Staff should document information provided to the patient concerning the risks and potential consequences of signing out AMA. If the patient leaves without signing the AMA form, document the details and circumstances of the patient’s departure. If the physician finds the patient is incompetent then they are not able to make an informed decision. Unless admitted to the hospital or transferred to police custody (when medically stable), the patient should be detained in the ED until they or an appropriate designee for the patient has the capacity to make an informed decision. The hospital should follow its policies on restraint and seclusion in these situations. Law enforcement should be notified immediately if the patient elopes. Once again, documentation by staff of treatment rationale will be imperative. The intent of the above information contained is to provide general information to address clinical issues. The content is not to be construed as legal or medical advice.


	3) Question: What is our responsibility when patients want to bring their own equipment into the hospital?
Collapse Read the answer
	Response: Does your hospital have a policy that addresses patient-owned equipment? If patients are allowed to use their own home equipment in the hospital, at a minimum, the following safety checks should be considered: Limit equipment to that not available (or available in insufficient numbers such as CPAPs) in the hospital’s equipment inventory. Physician has written an order for use of personal equipment. Clinical Engineering conducts an electrical safety check on the equipment. Patient provides users’ manual with the equipment. Patient is physically able to manage the equipment. The intent of the above information contained is to provide general information to address clinical issues. The content is not to be construed as legal or medical advice.