Five Risk Management Pointers, PRMS Hospitality Suite

Our May 4th seminar in New York City is now filled. With a topic like “Risk Management as an Anxiolytic: Case Studies in Risk Reduction” it’s no surprise that it has sold out. Due to the limited room capacity, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate everyone. In fact, once registrations began to quickly come in, we worked with the Intrepid to secure a bigger room so that more attendees could attend.  However, if you were unable to sign up for the May 4th seminar it will be repeated on August 16, 2014 in the PRMS office in Arlington, VA. We are located conveniently right over the river from downtown Washington, DC.  Seats are filling fast for this seminar, as well. Therefore, we are encouraging PRMS clients to register as soon as possible to secure their seat.

If you’re traveling to the APA Annual Meeting in New York City, we have another venue for you to meet one-on-one with us at our PRMS Hospitality Suite! Now in its third year, the PRMS Hospitality Suite provides an opportunity for psychiatrists to stop by to meet with our team of experienced insurance advisors and risk managers.

This year, the suite will open on Monday, May 5th and is located at the historic Lambs Club at 132 West 44th Street. We invite you to stop by any time between 12:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Or, if you would like to make an appointment to speak with a risk manager or insurance advisor at a particular time while the suite is open please feel free to e-mail us.

In the meantime, as you begin to pack your suitcase for your trip to New York or for any other spring travel, there are a few things to consider before taking time away from your practice.

Five Practical Pointers: Preparing to be away from your practice

1) Make certain your staff has accurate telephone numbers and other contact information.  Discuss with them situations in which you absolutely want to be contacted; which may include problems with specific patients.  Remember, your staff knows how hard you work and may be reluctant to contact you on your vacation so clear guidance (preferably in writing) will take the burden off of them and ensure that you receive needed information.

2) Coverage instructions should include procedures for staff on how to deal with potentially or increasingly suicidal patients or those with other dangerous behaviors. After directing a patient per your coverage instruction, the staff should notify you immediately.

3) Leave specific instructions on your voicemail and/or your answering service as to how patients may be directed to services for assistance in your absence. Make sure the information includes instructions about where patients can access care in an emergency, including going to the patient’s local emergency room

4) Discuss with your partners, or other physicians who will be covering in your absence, those patients about whom you have particular concerns.  Again, discuss with them those situations in which you will want to be consulted.

5) Always lock up prescription pads.

Donna Vanderpool, MBA, JD – Vice President As Vice President of Risk Management, Ms. Vanderpool is responsible for the development and implementation of PRMS’s risk management services for both The Psychiatrists’ Program and The Neurologists’ Program. Ms. Vanderpool has developed expertise in the areas of HIPAA and forensic practice, and has consulted, written and spoken nationally on these and other healthcare law and risk management topics. She most recently wrote a chapter concerning the risks of harm to forensic experts for Robert L. Sadoff, MD’s book Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychiatry: Minimizing Harm, (Feb. 2011/Wiley). Ms. Vanderpool received her undergraduate degree from James Madison University, and her MBA and JD from George Mason University. Prior to joining PRMS in 2000, Ms. Vanderpool practiced criminal defense law, taught business and legal courses as an adjunct faculty member at a community college and spent eight years managing a general surgical practice in Virginia.