Bulletproofing Your Medical Practice:

Risk Management Techniques For Physicians That Work by Kevin M. Quinley, CPCU, ARM, AIC, AIM, ARe Ó2000 The definitive work on risk reduction for practicing physicians. As a practicing physician you have worked long and hard to build up your medical practice. Why risk it all if you don’t have to? This concise and easy to read text contains simple techniques for you to use to reduce/avoid costly potential malpractice and insurance pitfalls. You will learn how to: Avoid medical malpractice risk Shift risk to another party Avoid the most common insurance pitfalls Get the best insurance coverage for your individual situation Use indemnification and joint-defense agreements Manage non-professional risk including automotive, defamation, advertising injury, general liability, workers’ compensation, and unfair trade practices Avoid costly mistakes during the investigation of a claim against you. A detailed index and table of contents make the 252-page Bulletproofing Your Medical Practice quick and easy to utilize. The book comes with an unconditional 30 day money-back guarantee. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with Bulletproofing Your Medical Practice, simply return it to 4expertise.com within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. Order your copy today! What your colleagues have said about Bulletproofing: “I just read Quinley’s book Bulletproofing Your Medical Practice: Risk Management Techniques That Work. I was really impressed. It took me just five minutes of reading to discover a major risk I was taking. This book is an eye-opener (and tells you how to protect yourself from being “blinded”). This book is easy to read and gives easy to follow pointers to protect your practice and your patients. If you read this book and don’t find at least three things to change in your practice, read it over again. If your practice is so busy that you don’t think that you have time to read this, stop right now and start reading Bulletproofing Your Medical Practice to protect what you are working so hard for.” David Pursley, MD Fellow, American Academy of Neurology “Savvy advice from the consummate professional; a well-written book with very complete coverage of the subject.” Alan Pinshaw, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School “A reader-friendly and concise book on the ABC’s of medical risk management, with lots of easy to remember and practical tips.” Alberto M. Goldwaser, MD Forensic Psychiatric Associates “Bulletproofing Your Medical Practice: Risk Management Techniques That Work is a practical text that makes suggestions of things that every physician can implement to reduce malpractice risk. I would like to see a copy of this text in the hands of every physician. Excellent text – well written practice coverage of risk management. The one text that I would recommend to every physician. In fact, if a physician were going to read only one text this year, this would be the one. Absolutely the best text on medical malpractice and risk management I have seen in fifteen years. This text belongs in the personal library of every physician from resident to senior attending. I plan to give a copy to all of my practice colleagues in Emergency Medicine and Family Practice including my physician assistants and nurse practitioners.  Terrance L. Baker, MD “I thought that my practice was “Bulletproof” until I read this book. A must for any practitioner.” Frederick B. LaVan, MD, FACS “Unique, comprehensive, a must read for physicians.” Nubar Tchilinguirian, MD, FACOG, FRCS(C), FACS “A very thorough and updated treatise. The section on ‘How to prevent malpractice claims’ is the best summary of preventing claims that I have seen.” Bruce B. McDonald, MD, FACS

	Table of Contents
1	Recent Trends In Medical Malpractice
	1.1 Introduction 1.2 Trends In Medical Malpractice Litigation 1.3 Calls For Tort Reform And Alternative Dispute Resolution 1.4 Claim Cost Trends 1.5 Conclusion
2	Investigation Of Claims: What To Do And What Not To Do
	2.1 Introduction 2.2 Investigate Early 2.3 Use A Sound Division Of Labor 2.4 Know The Differences Between Hospital And Physician Medical Malpractice Investigations 2.5 Know The Key Players 2.6 Handle The Medical Records Wisely 2.7 Know How To Handle Equipment 2.8 Research Prior Claims, Suits, Or Complaints 2.9 Further Advice 2.10 Conclusion
3	The Most Common Insurance Pitfalls And How To Avoid Them
	3.1 Introduction 3.2 Spotting And Avoiding Medical Malpractice Coverage Gaps 3.3 Pulling The Wrong Trigger 3.4 Punitive Damages 3.5 Tardy Claims Reporting 3.6 The Forgotten Lawsuit 3.7 Do-It-Yourself Claims Adjusting 3.8 Underinsuring Medical Malpractice Exposure 3.9 "Expected Or Intended" Traps 3.10 Practitioners’ Roundup 3.11 Conclusion
4	Getting The Best Insurance Coverage For Your Particular Situation
	4.1 Introduction 4.2 Questions To Ask Before Signing On 4.3 Risk Management 101 For Physicians 4.4 Anatomy Of A Medical Malpractice Insurance Policy 4.5 Navigating The Medical Malpractice Insurance Application 4.6 Choosing The Right Insurance Agent For Medical Malpractice Liability Coverage 4.7 Packaging An Application For The Best Deal 4.8 Conclusion
5	The Most Common Medical Malpractice Fallacies And How To Avoid Them
	5.1 Introduction 5.2 Common Medical Malpractice Claim Fallacies 5.3 Conclusion
6	Going Bare: Advantages And Disadvantages
	6.1 Introduction 6.2 Ten Tips On Retaining Medical Malpractice Liability Exposures 6.3 Cautions On Retaining Medical Malpractice Exposures 6.4 Conclusion
7	How To Shift Risk To Another Party Through Noninsurance Transfers
	7.1 Introduction 7.2 Examples Of Noninsurance Transfers 7.3 Tradeoffs In Noninsurance Transfers 7.4 Tips On Indemnification Agreements 7.5 Consider A Joint Defense Agreement 7.6 Conclusion
8	How To Prevent Medical Malpractice Claims
	8.1 Introduction 8.2 Develop A Better Bedside Manner 8.3 Don’t Alter Medical Records 8.4 Hone Your Listening Skills 8.5 Involve Patients In Constructing Their Own History 8.6 Encourage Written Questions From Patients 8.7 Tighten The Informed Consent Procedure 8.8 Videotape Informed Consent Exchanges 8.9 Avoid Taking "Pot-Shots" At Other Doctors 8.10 Stay Within Your Area Of Competence 8.11 Take Pains To Coordinate Care 8.12 Handle Medical Records With Care 8.13 Be Careful With Computerized Medical Records 8.14 Document Meticulously 8.15 Marking Pens Help Avert Wrong-Site Surgery 8.16 Conclusion
9	Risk Management Self-Review Checklist
	9.1 Introduction 9.2 Loss Prevention Questionnaire
10	Managing Nonprofessional Risks: Automotive, Defamation, Advertising Injury, General Liability, Workers’ Compensation, And Unfair Trade Practices
	10.1 Introduction 10.2 Personal Risk Management Checklist 10.3 Ten Very Useful Things For Any Physician Over 30 To Have Or To Know 10.4 Ancillary Areas Of Potential Liability 10.5 Conclusion
11	How To Avoid Medical Malpractice Risk
	11.1 Introduction 11.2 Avoidance Can Apply In Selecting Treatment Methods 11.3 Avoidance Applies In Selecting Medical Specialties 11.4 Avoidance Applies In Selecting Geographic Location Of Medical Practice 11.5 Avoidance Through Patient Selection 11.6 Avoidance Through Credentialling Procedures 11.7 Conclusion
12	The Team Approach: Coordinating Physician Risk Management & Defense With Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturers
	12.1 Introduction 12.2 Context Factors Affecting The Uneasy Alliance 12.3 Strategies For Defense Coordination 12.4 Conclusion
	Afterword
	Appendices
A	Glossary
B	Risk Management Resources
C	The Largest Medical Malpractice Insurance Companies
D	Sample Informed Consent Forms
E	Internet Resources For Medical Malpractice And Liability
F	Sample Medical Malpractice Insurance Application