Category: Articles, Medical & Healthcare, Resources for Attorneys, Resources for Experts Protect Yourself From Medicolegal Risk TASA ID: 1466 This article was originally published by Review of Optometry, https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/protect-yourself-from-medicolegal-riskGetting sued for malpractice is a no-win situation. Even if you’re not at fault, you still lose your time and suffer from the emotional toll and overall distraction. Fortunately, malpractice payments on behalf of optometrists are rare; on average, there are less than 34 cases nationally each year, and half of them are less than $50,000. But for each malpractice payment, there are even more claims. In ophthalmology, from 1985 to 2007, for every malpractice indemnity payment there were roughly four claims. Over the course of a 35-year career, 95% of ophthalmologists will have one claim against them, and more than half can expect two or three. While optometry may never incur the same level of risk, ODs must remain diligent as practitioners provide more and more medical services.To read the full article, select the download option below. Read more
Category: Articles, Insurance, Medical & Healthcare, Resources for Attorneys, Resources for Experts HEALTH CARE VS HEALTH INSURANCE TASA ID: 3656 Politicians speak of health care and most individuals think of health care in terms of whether or not they have health insurance. Hence there is heightened panic expressed in the news media about the recent removal of the individual and employee mandates and the anticipated millions of additional people without health insurance. The message generated is that all those people will be without health care. Read more
Category: Articles, Employment, Insurance, Medical & Healthcare Trump-ing Health Care "Reform" TASA ID: 1604 Trying to plan a response to health care reform these days is like telling a man on fire to find water. Most agents are reeling after being slaughtered on individual and small group commission reductions during a time when the process of ensuring people became 10 times more difficult with mandates, changing plans/networks, tax credits and penalties. President-elect Trump has stated that he intends to repeal, at least in part, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) enacted in 2010 by President Obama. Estimating what the new president will approve, or at least support, is a bit easier knowing that one political party, the Republicans, control the whole enchilada, and can essentially approve, cancel or choose not to enforce selected provisions of the law. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has shed a little light in public comments on the issue, but details have not been provided. The central question on everyone’s mind is, “What provisions will change in 2017?” The blank-eyed mantra is “repeal and delay.” That oxymoron speaks for itself. Read more
Category: Articles, Medical & Healthcare, Resources for Attorneys, Resources for Experts, Working With Experts The Independent Medical Examination: When is Enough, Enough? TASA ID: 2379 I have been performing Independent Chiropractic Medical Examinations (IMEs) for more than 20 years. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is what criteria I use in determining whether an examinee should have more chiropractic treatment recommended or not, as a result of my examination. Certainly, patients know how they feel about this: the need for more care is obvious, doc: I am still in pain! Pain is an important feature of my own clinical decision-making process. But what else is there to consider when making a decision regarding future treatment? Read more
Category: Articles, Medical & Healthcare, Resources for Attorneys, Resources for Experts, Working With Experts Depositions: How To Handle Yourself & Develop Your Court Face TASA ID: 2379 Standard legal advice applies here: Sit upright; keep your hands in your lap; always answer questions in short, concise sentences, and never extemporize or add more to your answer than was asked. This can lead to an opposing attorney taking something you said, and using it against you, or finding an opening to lower your credibility, or have you seem less clear as an expert in the matter being discussed. If you do not know the answer to a question, or you are not sure, say so, and do not make up an answer in order to seem more expert. Read more
