Side Note: Ah, the irony. Less and less patients are going to the emergency room for an emergency. And, instead, they are going in growing numbers to urgent care centers. But, why? Could it possibly be that there is another flaw in our current health care system? Are patients learning that emergency rooms are no […]

Side Note: Physicians are constantly giving their patients information. From giving them test results, to information about how to take a medication to information about their diagnosis, the nature of the doctor-patient relationship is based on the transfer of information. The informed consent process illustrates the importance of this transfer of information. As most physicians […]

Side Note: In a world where there are very few surprises left, there is one awful surprise that physicians, unfortunately, might have to face: the med mal lawsuit. Often, physicians have no idea that they will be sued for malpractice until they are served with papers. “Blindsided” would be a good way to describe how […]

Side Note: Every physician worries about being sued. Why? Is it because of the headache of a long, drawn-out trial? Is it because of the expense? It is because it is emotionally draining? Obviously, it is all of the above and more. Being sued for med mal is an awful experience and no one wants […]

Side Note: Medicine changes fast –that’s nothing new. But, medicine does seem to be changing faster than ever –especially in the realm of health care technology. Within the past several years, over 1700 smartphone apps have been developed for physicians. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The article below reports on six new […]

Side Note: As most physicians know, patient satisfaction and lower med mal risk go hand-in-hand. When patients are satisfied with their interactions with their doctors, they are less likely to sue. Thus, for almost every effort a physician makes to improve his or her practice, and reduce liability risk and errors, there is frequently another […]

Side Note: New Jersey is having a hard time attracting new physicians to its state and for good reason. In an era when practicing medicine is hard enough –with looming Medicare cuts, administrative headaches like transitioning to electronic medical records, the cost of physician liability coverage along with the constant threat of med mal lawsuits, […]

Side Note: Same story, different year. Unless Congress acts quickly, physicians will face a dramatic 29.5% Medicare reimbursement pay cut on January 1, 2012. Such a reduction in Medicare payments would greatly impact care not only for senior citizens, but also for military families (through TRICARE). This, combined with the growing number of aging Baby […]

Side Note: Being a physician these days is harder than ever. The massive expense of medical school loans, the unpredictability of third-party payers, and health care reform are just a few of the challenges facing physicians today. However, there is one piece of good news: premiums for professional liability insurance are holding steady, and in […]