Leslie Kane: Hi. I'm Leslie Kane. I'm Executive Editor of Medscape Business of Medicine. Every practice wants to lower its malpractice risk, but not every physician knows how to go about doing that. To give us some advice on this subject, we are here today with Stephen Dickens, an attorney and risk management specialist in Brentwood Tennessee. Steve, thanks so much for being with us today. I appreciate your taking the time.
Stephen Dickens: Thank you for having me.
Ms. Kane: What kind of risk management processes should practices have in place?
Mr. Dickens:Practices want to look at developing systems that ensure that they are providing good patient care and following up with patients. They want to make sure that they are remaining in contact with patients. We know that one of the most significant factors that affects whether a patient is going to sue is their opinion of the practice and their satisfaction with the service they have received. We have found that communication issues are usually at the root of those satisfaction processes. So, it is very important that when physicians and other providers tell a patient that they are going to do something, that they do it within the timeframe that they give the patient and that they work to provide a level of customer service that they also would want to receive.
