Telemedicine has proven to be instrumental in supporting patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic and an attractive option for both patients and providers. The electronic communication environment can seem far more casual and informal than traditional care settings, and this can erode the professional therapeutic relationship between provider and patient. This article provides a case study and recommendations to assist healthcare providers in maintaining a professional relationship with appropriate boundaries and protect the integrity of the patient care process.
The global outbreak of COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for healthcare providers and hospitals. Yet as the initial crisis begins to settle, another storm will be brewing as claims and law suits arise. This webinar recording, presented by Coverys, outlines steps healthcare providers and defense counsel can take now to be in the best position to defend claims related to COVID-19 in the future.
The interface of Federal immunity (PREP Act) and state law (if applicable).
Proactive measures, including: documentation and informed consent, identifying and preparing expert witnesses in advance, workers’ compensation issues, development of a master timeline that outlines extenuating circumstances that resulted from the pandemic.
Presenters:
John Hall, Esq. of Hall Booth Smith, P.C. law firm
Stephanie Sheps, Esq., Vice President of Claims at Coverys
The next PL Perspectives on Coronavirus recording is available! Kirsten Beasley, Bill Fleming, and Joseph McMenamin discuss various effects the coronavirus is having and will continue to have on the Healthcare and Med PL industry.
If you are looking for more Medical PL education, you can now earn your Certificate in Medical Professional Liability completely online. You can find more information here: http://plusweb.org/Education/Certificates.
Listen to Healthcare and MedPL Perspectives on Coronavirus:
Kirsten Beasley, Head of Healthcare Broking, North America at Willis Towers Watson
As Head of Healthcare Broking, North America, Kirsten drives the broking strategy for our healthcare industry clients, particularly for the signature lines of insurance that are critical to our healthcare clients in North America – professional, general and excess liability. Kirsten and the team of healthcare specialists in broking, work with our Healthcare Industry group, client advocates and producers to deliver cutting edge insurance programs, grounded in analytics, to our partners.
Kirsten joined WTW in 2016 with nearly 20 years’ experience with the healthcare industry insurance arena as both a broker and an underwriter. Immediately prior to joining WTW, Kirsten served as Chief Operating Officer, Bermuda and led the North American Healthcare underwriting practice of Allied World Assurance Company (AW). Kirsten began her insurance career as a large account healthcare and casualty broker with in Bermuda.
Kirsten has authored several articles in the healthcare field and has been a featured speaker on several industry-related educational and professional development panels. Kirsten chairs the D&I Sub-Committee of the Association of Bermuda International Companies and is a co-founder of WeSpeak, a professional development organization focusing on building presentation skills for women across all industries.
Bill Fleming, Chief Operating Officer at The Doctors Company
Named COO in January 2017, Fleming is responsible for all claims, underwriting, patient safety and risk management, sales and marketing for the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer. He is responsible for the company’s operating subsidiaries, TDC Specialty Underwriters and Medical Advantage Group. Fleming is a 24-year veteran of The Doctors Company and previously served in a number of leadership capacities, including claims, underwriting, product development, and regional operating officer for the Northeast region. He was also integration leader for AP Capital, Advocate MD, and Intermed, as they joined The Doctors Company via acquisition in 2010 (AP Capital) and 2011 (Advocate, MD, and Intermed).
Fleming began his career with Safeco Insurance in casualty claims and later moved to the professional liability sector. He earned a bachelor’s degree in administration, with an emphasis in business law, from California State University, Fresno, and a master of business administration (MBA) from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He holds leadership positions on boards and committees for numerous insurance and healthcare-related organizations. He is a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) and an Associate in Insurance Services (AIS). Fleming leverages his deep industry insights and longstanding relationships with the company’s stakeholders—members, physicians, agents—to fulfill The Doctors Company mission of advancing, protecting, and rewarding the practice of good medicine.
Joseph P. (“Joe”) McMenamin, Principal at McMenamin Law Offices, PLLC
MLO is a health law boutique serving health care providers, telemedicine companies, and life sciences companies, focusing on legal issues pertinent to distance care, general health law, risk management, and reimbursement. Dr. McMenamin is General Counsel for the Virginia Telehealth Network and a member of the Center for Telemedicine and eHealth Law Legal Resource Team. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Legal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, Board-certified in Legal Medicine, and a Fellow of the College of Legal Medicine.
Before starting his own practice, Dr. McMenamin was a partner at McGuireWoods, LLP for 20 years. Previously, he practiced emergency medicine at hospitals in Pennsylvania and Georgia for seven years while engaging in specialty training and legal education. He is a former member of the Boards of Directors of the Medical Society of Virginia Insurance Agency and of the Richmond Ambulance Authority. Dr. McMenamin has authored or co-authored numerous articles and chapters on a wide array of legal and other topics. He has also given hundreds of presentations at local, state, national, and international meetings of lawyers, doctors, risk managers, business continuity experts, regulatory professionals, and other groups.
Kirsten Beasley, Head of Healthcare Broking, North America at Willis Towers Watson
Bill Fleming, Chief Operating Officer at The Doctors Company
Joseph P. (“Joe”) McMenamin, Principal at McMenamin Law Offices, PLLC