November 7, 2022 by matray

COVID Burnout Driving Dangerous Decline in Healthcare Workforce
COVID-related stress is exacerbating the number of healthcare workers leaving the medical profession, according to a newly released data report from the commercial intelligence company Definitive Healthcare. According to the data, as many as 333,942 healthcare workers exited the profession in 2021. An estimated 117,000 physicians, 53,295 nurse practitioners and 22,704 physician assistants left the medicine between the first quarter of 2020 and fourth quarter of 2021. The provider specialties experiencing the greatest declines during that period were internal medicine (15,000), family practice (13,015) and clinical psychology (10,874) …

NSO Report: Medical Liability Claim Costs for Nurse Practitioners Rising Sharply
The average total incurred costs for a medical liability claim against a nurse practitioner (NP) increased to $332,137, a jump of more than 10.5% since 2017, according to a newly released closed-claims report by the Nurses Service Organization (NSO), a division of Aon Affinity. The more than 10.5% increase in NP claim costs during the past five years more than doubles the 5.2% increase that the NSO recorded between 2012 and 2017 …

Predictions of Skyrocketing Medical Liability Claims Follow Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Reversal of Medical Malpractice Venue Rule
In a decision causing quite a stir among medical professionals, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently reversed a 20-year-old rule regarding venue for medical malpractice actions. On Aug. 25, 2022, the high court adopted amendments to Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure 1006, 2130, 2156 and 2179, which govern venue in medical malpractice actions. Prior to this decision, medical malpractice cases could be filed only in the county where the alleged adverse medical care or treatment occurred …

Physicians Insurance Introduces Criminal Defense Reimbursement Rider
Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Physicians Insurance A Mutual Co. introduced its Criminal Defense Reimbursement Coverage rider, which adds to its physician and hospital professional liability insurance coverage for the reimbursement of defense costs and legal fees incurred when responding to criminal allegations that arise from patient care. While medical professional liability policies have historically excluded coverage for criminal actions, the Criminal Defense Reimbursement Coverage rider provides up to $250,000 in coverage to reimburse an insured provider for the legal costs spent successfully defending against criminal charges involving direct patient care. Under the new coverage, criminal action is defined as a criminal proceeding following an arrest or indictment, an official request for extradition and/or a criminal or regulatory investigation that includes a medical board ...

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