2025 Risk Management Programs
LEGAL ISSUES - NAVIGATING PATIENT CHALLENGES
Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan and Rhoades
This comprehensive course is designed for physicians looking to enhance their understanding and management of professional risks in a clinical setting. Through a blend of theoretical learning and practical case studies, participants will explore strategies to handle difficult patient interactions, such as bullying, adhere to legal and ethical standards in record retention, and navigate the complexities of medical board complaints. The course will equip physicians with the knowledge and skills necessary to mitigate risks, maintain professionalism, and uphold patient care standards amidst various challenges.
Objectives
- Understand how to address a "bullying patient" in the clinical setting
- Understand changes to medical record retention laws
- Develop risk management strategies through role-playing vignette scenarios
Risk to Resilience: Empowering Primary Care Physicians through Risk Management Strategies
Daniel Kohn, MD and Andrew Marter, Esq.
This seminar aims to help primary care physicians deepen their knowledge of risk management strategies and integrate these strategies into their daily work. Participants will learn to optimize patient safety and minimize legal risks through effective documentation, collaborative care with physician extenders, diligent patient follow-up, and the nuanced management of patients with mental health issues. Through lectures and case studies with interactive discussions, attendees will gain practical skills to navigate complex scenarios with confidence.
Objectives
- Understand practical documentation techniques to support patient care
- Be better able to implement effective systems for follow-up
- Have strategies to better manage patients with mental health issues
- Be aware of methods for enhanced communication with your colleagues
Clear Vision, Clear Risks: Mastering Ophthalmology Risk Management
Sonny Goel, M.D and April Hitzelberger, Esq.
Designed for ophthalmologists, this course addresses informed consent, patient discharge, medical board complaints, and managing patients who decline follow-up post-surgery. Through lectures, case studies, and interactive sessions, participants will learn to reduce legal risks and enhance patient care.
Objectives
- Understand the legal and ethical consent processes in Ophthalmology
- Develop effective post-operative discharge protocols to keep patients coming back in for follow-up
- Preempt and mitigate risks using closed claim insights
PRACTICE EXCELLENCE - WEBINAR SERIES (Office Staff – Not for RM Premium Credit)
Kem Tolliver, BS, CMPE, CPC, CMOM
Like last year’s program, this year will feature a “series” of programs that address the different topics pertinent to the needs of Practice Managers. Each webinar will be from 12 pm to 1 pm.
Please note that this course is for office staff only and physicians who attend will not receive CMEs and will not receive the Risk Management premium credit.
Objectives
- Identify areas of weakness in the delivery of health care that might put them at risk for a medical malpractice claim
- Make specific changes in your practice that will increase patient safety
Navigating Modern Pediatric Practice: Risk Management Essentials for Pediatricians
Erica Mudd, Esq.
Designed specifically for pediatricians, this seminar addresses the evolving landscape of medical practice through the lens of risk management. Participants will gain insights into the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in pediatric care, the complexities of prescribing medication across state lines, and the critical aspect of informed consent.
Objectives
- Understand how artificial intelligence is being instituted in Pediatrics
- Implement strategies to ensure compliance when prescribing for patients who are out of state.
- Understand best practices for documenting consent, handling refusal of treatment and managing situations where consent is not clear or straightforward.
Cutting Edge Safety: Risk Management For Surgeons
Steven Berlin, M.D. and John Sly, Esq.
Aimed at surgeons, this course focuses on managing board complaints, mastering patient portal communications, addressing non-compliant patients, and learning from closed claim studies to enhance surgical practice safety and compliance.
Objectives
- Properly manage and respond to board complaints
- Successfully deal with difficult patients
- Learn risk management strategies through closed claim studies
From Pregnancy to Practice: Risk Management Strategies for OB/GYNs
Steven Berlin, M.D. and John Sly, Esq.
Designed for OB/GYNs, this course covers critical practice management topics including how to effectively address board of medicine complaints, effective use of patient portals, managing non-compliant patients, and learning from closed claim studies. Through lectures, case studies, and interactive sessions, participants will gain practical skills to enhance their practice.
Objectives
- Properly manage and respond to board complaints
- Successfully deal with difficult patients
- Learn risk management strategies through closed claim studies
CASE IN POINT III: FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE
Case in Point III examines closed medical malpractice claims that have diagnostic error as their core allegation. The selected cases illustrate an all-too common theme presented in a variety of clinical situations where a Physician’s failure to diagnose a patient properly led to a lawsuit.
Objectives
- Identify what constitutes an allegation of failure to diagnose in a malpractice lawsuit
- Recognize the role of the medical record in preventing diagnostic errors
- Increase Physician-patient communication and patient participation in his/her own health care
- Implement changes in practice to minimize delay in diagnosis or failure to diagnose
BUILD A CULTURE OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE HIPAA MODULES
Created by members of Professionals Advocate’s Risk Management Department
These training modules address the essential elements of maintaining the privacy and security of sensitive information and protected health information (PHI) within the medical practice.
Objectives
- Discuss the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules
- Recognize identifiers that create protected health information (PHI)
- Recognize situations in which confidential and protected health information can be mishandled
- Identify practical ways to protect the privacy and security of sensitive information, including PHI
- Recognize the consequences of improperly handling confidential information or PHI
- Understand how to comply with the Breach Notification Rule
MOCK TRIAL: ORDER IN THE COURT!
Presented by attorneys from the law firm of Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan & Rhoades, Chtd.
This online course will feature a “mini” medical malpractice trial from opening statements to closing arguments. The defendant Physician and expert and fact witnesses for both the plaintiff and defense will be examined and cross-examined. The courtroom drama will also highlight the elements of a successful defense to a malpractice suit and illustrate how medical record-keeping plays a key role in how cases are won or lost at trial.
Objectives
- Understand how medical malpractice trials are conducted
- Recognize how medical record-keeping and deposition testimony play out in malpractice trials
- Understand the key elements of a successful defense of Physicians
OPIOID PRESCRIBING: AVOID THE PAIN 3.0
Presented by John Sly, Esq. of Waranch & Brown, LLC
This updated 3.0 version expands on what was learned in prior Opioid Prescribing courses. This iteration will feature updated guidelines from the CDC as well as real-life scenarios that will illustrate the complexities of prescribing controlled substances and ways you can protect yourself from litigation and potential patient harm.
Objectives
- Understand the use of opioids to treat pain
- Recognize the laws governing opioids
- Identify patient risks for dependency
- Limit risks to your patient and your practice in prescribing opioids
CASE IN POINT II - DOCUMENTATION
Case in Point II is our second risk management program featuring a series of closed-claim scenarios that focus on issues involving medical record documentation. The selected cases serve to provide the reader with situations in which poor or non-existent documentation created patient safety issues and allegations of negligent treatment for the Physician.
Objectives
- Identify weaknesses in the medical record that can result in miscommunication and poor patient outcomes
- Understand the role of the medical record as crucial evidence in medical malpractice litigation
- Recognize how strong documentation can prevent litigation
CASE IN POINT IV - INFORMED CONSENT
According to the American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics, informed consent to medical treatment is fundamental in both ethics and law. Patients have the right to receive information and ask questions about recommended treatments so that they can make well-considered decisions about their care. This new online course will help Physicians navigate the process of informed consent and appreciate the importance of the documentation of a patient’s consent or refusal.
Objectives
- Discuss the concept of informed consent
- Know what should be included in the discussion with the patient about a recommended treatment or procedure
- Understand the need for documentation of the informed consent process and patient discussion
CASE IN POINT V - TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
Presented by John Sly, Esq. of Waranch & Brown, LLC
Case In Point V is our latest edition to the Case In Point closed claim series. This program features a series of closed claims that focus on Risk Management issues surrounding the use of technology in the practice of medicine. The cases selected for this program will be presented in a video format presented by John T. Sly, Esq., a medical-malpractice defense attorney. These cases focus on issues surrounding patient tracking, communication, informed consent, and documentation – with technology serving as the backdrop.
Objectives
- Identify risk issues associated with the use of technology in their practice as it pertains to communication
- Understand the role of technology in medicine and how it to be additionally vigilant in its use as a physician
- Recognize how technology can be used in the practice of medicine while improving documentation and physician-patient interactions
RISK ISSUES IN RADIOLOGY
Presented by Lara Eisenberg, MD, Robert Maynard, Esq. and Edward Gonsalves, Esq.
This course will review medical-legal issues in radiology including those inherent to the field and those related to documentation and communication. The course will include a brief mock deposition of a radiology defendant in a hypothetical scenario and demonstrations of expert witness testimony in such scenario.
Objectives
- Recognize potential pitfalls in documentation and communication in radiology
- Understand liability theories in radiology and practices to minimize exposure to litigation
- Be familiar with litigation issues in radiology and deposition and expert witness strategies to utilize in litigation
LEGAL ISSUES - GREATEST HITS
Presented by the Law Firm of Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan and Rhoades, Chtd.
Over the course of the last several years, Medical Mutual/Professionals Advocate along with the attorneys at Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan and Rhoades, have presented meaningful vignettes showcasing the intricacies of the medico-legal landscape. This "greatest hits" online course will present curated video vignettes from previous Legal Issues courses with updated guidance from the medico-legal experts. Unlike our live program, this online self-paced course will allow participants to learn from video presentations focusing on documentation, communication and informed consent issues confronted by Physicians in their practice.
Objectives
- Learn proper documentation and communication techniques
- Understand common risk management issues surrounding the practice of medicine
- Be able to transfer the knowledge learned in this program into their everyday practice.
PATHOLOGY PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE
Rob Maynard, Esquire and Arthur McTighe, MD
This online course will review common risk management issues surrounding the practice of Pathology. Dr. Arthur McTighe and the attorneys at Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan and Rhodes present this course from the perspective of a Pathologist. The course will include a hypothetical case study, along with a demonstration of expert witness and fact witness testimonies. At the conclusion of the program, the speakers will discuss common risk management guidance which can be incorporated into the practice of Pathology.
Objectives
- Gain a better understanding of the medico-legal issues surrounding the practice of Pathology
- Understand the intricacies of testimony in a malpractice case. Both as a defendant and expert witness
- Learn key risk management “pointers” to incorporate into their practice