2015

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for Americans and a very real professional liability risk for psychiatrists working with patients. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, which makes the tragic and important topic of suicide all the more timely. PRMS is committed to helping clinicians deal with this very sad and real patient safety risk by offering risk mana ...

On the ABC television show “What Would You Do?” host John Quiñones and his crew report on split-second and sometimes unexpected decisions made by people who think no one is watching when things get tough. Do they freeze or ignore what’s going on around them? How often do they really do the right thing? A mental health education program for high school students in Kentucky has ...

In the “Malpractice Rx” column of the current issue of Current Psychiatry, Drs. Mossman and Reynolds address the risks of using e-mail to communicate with patients. As they mention, getting the patient’s consent is the key to managing the risk. We recommend that this consent be documented and there is a link in the article to access our model informed consent to e-mail templat ...

The South Asian Mental Health Initiative and Network (SAMHIN) – a New Jersey-based group working to address the mental health needs of the region’s burgeoning South Asian community and to combat the stigma of mental illness particularly prevalent among this population – is just a year old, but its initiatives have made it a recent recipient of PRMS support. Founded by a practi ...

Since my original post on physicians’ online marketing, I’ve received requests for more information on the topic. So here are my expanded thoughts – Websites Websites can be a great way to market your practice online.In terms of professional liability, the greater the interaction on a physician’s website, the greater the risk.A simple, non-interactive practice information webs ...

A study on adolescents’ self-inflicted injuries reported in the July 2015 issue ofPediatrics has many findings relevant to those treating adolescents. Introductory statistics in the article included the following: • Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for adolescents • Self-harm, while rare below the age of 12, increases rapidly during adolescence, particularly in fem ...

Two news items caught my attention today – both involved radiologists and HIPAA violations: 1. MORE DUMPED RECORDS: According to the report, a customer noticed 65 boxes of medical records, including social security numbers, in a dumpster at a storage unit facility. The records belonged to a radiology group that had disbanded, and ultimately failed to pay for continued storage ...

As an “Army brat,” holidays showing appreciation for our military – active, former, and deceased – are of particular significance to me. This Memorial Day weekend is more than the official start to summer – it’s a time to honor all who bravely fought or are fighting for our freedom. This certainly includes those whose lives have been lost, whether by the hands of others, or by ...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While it is great to recognize and educate everyone on the issue of mental health, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank the psychiatrists and other mental health professionals for all they do under what can be very tough circumstances. My comments are focused on psychiatrists because my team of risk managers has the most interact ...

In recognition of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 7, PRMS staff took part in a service project by helping package gifts of joy in the form of boxed craft kits to promote healing for children in area hospitals. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Awareness Day, which focuses on raising awareness about the mental health needs of America’s youngest ...