Doctor's Advocate

Managing Malpractice Risk with Technology

Doctor's Advocate — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:25:44 +0000

Is it possible for technology to minimize your risk of medical malpractice lawsuits against you or your medical practice? Can EHR’s reduce your risk? If a claim of negligence has been brought against you, if you have excellent documentation in patient records, you have a much better chance of fighting those allegations. According to a 2008 study (from the Archives of Internal Medicine), “Using an EHR may also reduce paid malpractice settlements for physicians.”

Doctor’s Advocate is one of the featured organizations in the following article on EHR’s from Physicians Practice. Using Technology to Manage Malpractice Risk

Dealing with Physician Burn-out

Doctor's Advocate — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:25:39 +0000

As a physician, how do you deal with burn-out issues? As a practice manager, how do you help your physicians to deal with burn-out?

This is a very good article from Physicians Practice that deals with this subject and helps practice managers assist their physicians during this stressful time and how they can cultivate a less stress-filled office environment. Heading Off Physician Burnout

What is the biggest threat to Physicians?

Doctor's Advocate — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:25:20 +0000

Do you think frivolous malpractice lawsuits are the major issue physicians should be concerned about? What about the increase in compliance issues and government regulations on physicians?

For more information, check out this article from Physicians Practice, The Number One Threat Faced by Physicians (and It’s Not Malpractice)

How would you Rate the Staff at your Practice?

Doctor's Advocate — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:25:40 +0000

Are you happy with the staff at your practice or do you think you could use some new help? Are your employees on Facebook more often than the billing program? Do you hear more chatting going on than productive work, like checking in and scheduling patients?

Check out this interesting article by Marisa Torrieri on ways to bring your staff from lackluster to brilliant. She offers some great advice on how to set a good example yourself and create an environment where your employees enjoy working in and productivity is great. Turning Slacking Medical Staffers into Star Employees

What’s Your Story?

Doctor's Advocate — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:25:08 +0000

Why did you become a physician or enter into the healthcare field? Please feel free to share your story. Also, if you’re interested, you can comment on the survey below.

Doctor’s Advocate Member Survey 2011

Please feel free to complete it and fax it to: 215-268-7211 or email: info@doctorsadvocate.org

Name:

How did you first find out about Doctor’s Advocate?

Did you hear about us from one of our members or another physician?

Through an advertisement or mailing?

Through our website, facebook / twitter or our video on YouTube or Doctor’s Channel?

Have you shared information about Doctor’s Advocate with any other interested physicians?

Do you have any suggestions on other services we can offer to our members?

Thank you for your assistance in participating in our survey. We value you as a member of Doctor’s Advocate and look forward to continued service to you in the future.

Pharmacists are expanding roles to assist in educating patients

Doctor's Advocate — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:25:01 +0000

Do you know how many prescriptions the average adult fills every year? They fill a dozen. By the time each adult reaches the age of 65, the amount of prescriptions he or she fills increases to 30 annually. So what does this have to health care today? Many times, people see their local pharmacists more often than their own physician. This creates a good rapport between the pharmacist and the patient. They have been “expanding their role from drug dispenser to drug educator and chronic disease coach. To read more how this is filling a void of shortages of primary care physicians, check out this article. Pharmacists Expand Role To Help Educate And Coach Patients

A Call for Doctors to Spring into Action

Doctor's Advocate — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:25:36 +0000

As physicians, what are your opinions on healthcare reform and how the government is wrestling its way in our lives? Does the government have a right to impose new healthcare regulations upon the people in the name of imparting universal health care to all its citizens? Throughout this long debate on healthcare, physicians have been on one side of the fence or the other.

When is the time to stand up for your opinion? How long should people stay silent on this issue, regardless of what they believe. Do you have an opinion on when is the time to spring into action? This article by Hal C. Scherz MD is one every doctor should definitely read. Doctors: Doing Nothing Is No Longer An Option

Sham Peer Review & Disruptive Physician Behavior Assistance

Doctor's Advocate — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:25:24 +0000

The right way to have a medical malpractice case reviewed is by another physician who is a neutral party and has only the goal of improved quality medical care and the safety of the patient in mind. This is peer review with a noble cause. Sham peer review is when a physician reviews a medical malpractice case with bad intentions to cause damage to the defendant physician’s character and this peer reviewer does not have improved quality of medical care in mind.

Unscrupulous physicians can utilize sham peer review to try to remove good, quality physicians (whom they deem as competition) from their own way towards advancement. Hospitals are even striking out against diligent physicians who are “whistleblowers” (uncovering the truth about medical malpractice) and using sham peer review to end their medical careers.

Disruptive Physician Behavior occurs when physicians have trouble dealing with relationships with other physicians and nurses and healthcare staff. The medical profession can have its share of stressors and it’s not unexpected to have some physicians display this disruptive behavior.

The problem comes into play when you are a physician who is a victim of Sham Peer Review or who has been falsely accused of Disruptive Physician Behavior? Where do you turn to for help? Doctor’s Advocate can assist you.

For more information on Doctor’s Advocate, please feel free to contact our office at 888-362-8202, visit our website at doctorsadvocate.org or email us at info@doctorsadvocate.org; we can send you a brochure packet via mail or email. Thanks!

What’s your Efficiency Quotient?

Doctor's Advocate — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:25:12 +0000

How smoothly does your practice run? Are you pleased with your practice’s efficiency quotient? There is usually room for improvement, but do you know what ways you can improve? It takes an in-depth look into your current status to collect data and measure progress; this will help in creating ideas to improve your practice’s efficiency.

Check out this article from Doctor’s Digest. It offers some helpful ideas for improved efficiency. Quality Improvement in Your Practice

Do you know PA Law Regarding Filing Complaints?

Doctor's Advocate — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:25:14 +0000

In Pennsylvania, did you know that if you file a disciplinary complaint against your former attorney, you are prohibited from telling anyone else about it according to PA Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement 209 and 402? You are free to discuss the facts of the case and the reasons why you are dissatisfied with your attorney; and of course, you can tell your new attorney that you filed that complaint…just no one else.

Does this sound reasonable to you? Maybe, maybe not. However, do you know that when a complaint is filed against a Pennsylvania physician or health care professional, the case caption, case number and date it was filed is listed in the Philadelphia Business Journal each week.

So, in other words, everyone is allowed to know that a complaint has been filed against you. Sounds like a double standard.

You can read the PA Rules here, Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement 209 and 402

If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone from our office, please feel free to contact us at 610-327-8202 or via email at info@doctorsadvocate.org or online at www.doctorsadvocate.org. A brochure packet can be mailed, emailed or faxed to your office upon your request. Thank you!