Minimising Malpractice Claims
Having a medical malpractice claim raised against you is a scary prospect. No practitioner wants to cause harm, nor do you want to end up in court for medical negligence.
Of course, having medical malpractice insurance in place can support you in resolving a claim and protect you from hefty legal fees.
But what can you do to minimise the risk of malpractice claims? As expert medical malpractice insurers, here are our top tips…
Get trained
If you’re not competent or confident, do not treat! Ensure you have appropriate training for every procedure you offer from a recognised training provider.
When you complete a course, ensure you receive certification that you can present to your medical malpractice insurance provider should a claim arise.
Manage expectations
Patients who aren’t satisfied with results have been known to make malpractice claims.
Take care to identify exactly what a patient is hoping to achieve from treatment and assess whether it is realistic. Show them before and afters of results they could typically expect, while asking them directly if this will meet their goals.
If you have doubts that your treatment won’t meet their expectations, don’t be afraid to say no!
Disclose risks
If patients feel you’ve provided the wrong advice or caused damage, they may seek compensation. Having professional indemnity cover in place can save you thousands, along with your reputation!
Always detail the expected side effects and potential complications to all treatments you offer. It doesn’t matter if they only present a small risk, or the patient has had the treatment before – it’s important you’ve informed them of every adverse event that may occur.
Get informed consent
Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many consent forms are missed or aren’t ‘informed’ enough.
Ensure all aspects of the treatment are detailed, particularly the expected results and potential risks.
Doing so will ensure your malpractice insurance is valid and effective!
Document everything
Having excellent records will go a long way to protecting you if a claim is made. Make notes of all verbal communication in each patient’s file and always send written documentation detailing the procedure you will perform and the associated risks.
If a claim arises, your medical malpractice insurer will ask you for full patient consultation notes and consent forms, before and after photographs, any leaflets or electronic documents you’ve sent the patient, and any other correspondence.
Read more about Medical Malpractice Insurance!
