2012 APA Annual Meeting postscript

I returned to the office yesterday from the 2012 Annual Meeting. While this meeting was unique in that we weren’t on the exhibit floor, we still had the opportunity to meet with many of our customers. I had the following thoughts, observations, and reactions (in no particular order).

Thanks to everyone who made their way to our hospitality suite in the Ritz Carlton Hotel. We had the chance to speak with you, answer your questions, and update your policies if needed in a setting quieter than the usual exhibit hall venue.

It was gratifying to see that more than 100 of our customers attended our two risk management seminars (Friday, May 4 and Wednesday, May 9).

Despite the many changes in the practice of psychiatry in the 26 years that PRMS has been providing liability coverage to psychiatrists, their concerns remain very similar. How can I protect patient confidentiality? What are the elements of good informed consent? How long should I keep my records? How can I effectively use the latest technology in my practice without undue risk?

Despite the best planning, there are always surprises. For example, several doctors had difficulty getting to the Sofitel Hotel for the Friday seminar because the police had closed several streets in the area to facilitate the filming of a movie. (Sorry – I don’t know the title.)  On Sunday, the Broad Street Run created a human barricade for other doctors attempting to reach our hospitality suite at the Ritz-Carlton (on Broad Street).

Speaking of contingency planning, our risk managers were available to assist psychiatrists in creating a contingency plan for their practice.  If you were not able to meet with us, you can reach our risk managers by calling 1-800-527-9181.

Increasingly, training directors want to incorporate into their programs sessions on the basics of liability insurance and risk management for their residents.  We left Philadelphia with a long follow-up list to nail down dates for our risk management staff to speak with residents.   To schedule a PREP^® session for your program, email or call 1-800-245-3333, ext. 347.

Finally, we are grateful to all our customers, whether they made it to Philadelphia or not, for giving us the chance to work with the most unappreciated yet dedicated group of specialists in American medicine.   Call us at 1-800-245-3333 at any time and let us know how we can help.