Risk Management Resources

“Partnering with our members to meet their current and future risk management and patient safety needs through education, training and support in an effort to improve patient safety and decrease professional liability claims.”

Healthcare Services Group strongly believes that an effective risk management and patient safety program reduces adverse events and subsequent liability claims. We have a team of Risk Management and Patient Safety professionals with combined experience in clinical medicine, healthcare risk management and law to assist you 24/7 with proactive risk management and patient safety initiatives. The services described below are included with your professional liability insurance package, at no additional cost, and are delivered by our Risk Management & Patient Safety staff in partnership with your facility’s staff.

BENEFITS WE PROVIDE OUR INSURED CLIENTS AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE:

RESOURCES

24/7 RISK MANAGEMENT HOTLINE
As a companion to our consultative services, our staff provides 24/7 access to risk management assistance and advice in the event of an adverse outcome. During emergent events, physicians, risk managers and hospital administration are able to contact a Risk Management Consultant.

During normal business hours (8a-4:30p), simply call our home office and request our Risk Management staff.

After normal business hours, please call the number below to activate the 24/7 Risk Management Hotline. If you do not reach someone immediately, please leave your name, affiliation, phone number, and a brief description of the event and a member of our Risk Management staff will call you back as soon as possible.

To activate the 24/7 Risk Management Hotline:
573-353-8764
CMEs FOR PHYSICIANS/SURGEONS AND ALLIED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
We partner with Med-IQ to provide online educational courses. These courses are designed to provide Physicians/Surgeons and Allied Healthcare Professionals a convenient opportunity to improve risk management and patient safety practices, while earning continuing education credit. In addition, insured physicians, surgeons and allied health care professionals who successfully complete these online educational courses may qualify for a 1% Risk Management premium credit discount for each course completed, up to 10%.
For the Risk Management Premium Credit:
Online Education support:
Jesse Muenks, Vice President – Underwriting
Diane Kliethermes, Senior RM Assistant
573-893-5300
573-893-5300
jmuenks@hsg-group.com
dkliethermes@hsg-group.com
CEUs FOR NURSES
We partner with Med-IQ to provide online educational courses. These courses are designed to provide Registered Nurses a convenient opportunity to improve risk management and patient safety practices, while earning continuing education credit.
For more information, contact:
Diane Kliethermes, Senior RM Assistant
573-893-5300
dkliethermes@hsg-group.com
CONCEPTS: GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CLINICAL RISK MANAGEMENT©
This manual serves as a desk reference when risk management and patient safety topics and questions arise in the physician clinic setting.

Each section provides information and additional resources about the topic, along with relevant sample policies.

Content includes:
Facility and Environment: Cleaning and Safety
Healthcare Provider Practice
Patient Relations
Communication and Follow-up
Medical Records
Patient Safety
Emergency Protocols & Fire Safety
Legal Issues
Regulations and Standards
Risk Management

The manual also serves as an excellent employee orientation manual and training resource. It includes a Clinic Self-Survey  that is helpful in identifying potential liability risks, particularly in clinic-type settings. After completion of the Clinic Self-Survey, it will be reviewed and specific recommendations and action plans will be developed to help you address opportunities for improvement. In addition, a report comparing your organization to other survey respondents will also be produced.

Copyright © 2010 Healthcare Services Group. The materials contained in CONCEPTS are proprietary and may not be distributed or reproduced without the express consent of HSG. MLA insureds have permission to reproduce and use information contained in this manual within their facilities.

CONSULTATIVE SERVICES
Our Risk Management & Patient Safety staff provides 24/7 risk management consultative services covering a broad spectrum of risk-related issues, including but not limited to, questions related to medical records and confidentiality, adverse outcome disclosure, patient communication and follow-up, patient relations, patient safety, medical-legal issues, regulations and standards, policies and procedures and general office risk management practices.
To contact Risk Management & Patient Safety Staff:
During Business Hours (8:00am - 4:30pm): 573-893-5300
Outside of Business Hours, Please Call the Hotline Number: 573-353-8764
RMPS@hsg-group.com
HEALS (HEALTHCARE EVENT ASSISTANCE & LENDING SUPPORT) PROGRAM
Unfortunately, in medicine things do not always go as planned. During treatment, patients may experience complications and subsequently suffer harm or patients perceive that the provider did something wrong, resulting in a complaint investigation or lawsuit being filed. In many cases, the healthcare provider experiences anxiety and distress after one of these events.

HEALS provides education and support to insured healthcare providers after they experience a bad patient outcome, during a complaint investigation and during malpractice litigation. The program focuses on the healthcare providers’ thoughts, concerns and questions about the events unfolding around them. HEALS is an information sharing program with its primary objective being to help providers return to peak performance as quickly as possible.

HSG’s Claim Department and the Risk Management & Patient Safety (RM&PS) Department work closely together to deliver the HEALS program to insured clients. HEALS is part of HSG’s claims services. HEALS is managed and controlled by the Claim Department as part of the claims process but delivered by HSG’s RM&PS Department. Since it is a part of the claims management process, the information discussed is privileged just like other claims related information.

For more information: Risk Management & Patient Safety Newsletter, Spring 2014, Volume 11, No. 2 newsletter & HEALS brochure.

[table “Arv_replacement” not found /]
ONLINE EDUCATION (MED-IQ)
We partner with Med-IQ to provide online education courses. These courses are designed to provide Physicians/Surgeons, Allied Healthcare Professionals and Registered Nurses a convenient opportunity to improve risk management and patient safety practices, while earning continuing education credit. In addition, insured physicians, surgeons and allied health care professionals who successfully complete these online educational courses may qualify for a 1% Risk Management premium credit discount for each course completed, up to 10%.
For the Risk Management Premium Credit:
Online Education support:
Jesse Muenks, Vice President – Underwriting
Diane Kliethermes, Senior RM Assistant
573-893-5300
573-893-5300
jmuenks@hsg-group.com
dkliethermes@hsg-group.com
ON-SITE RISK ASSESSMENTS AND SELF-ASSESSMENT EVALUATIONS
Annual on-site risk assessments are provided to assess risk management and patient safety issues facility-wide. The assessment focuses on one to two specific departments and includes environmental assessment tours. Patient safety issues identified will be included in a consultation visit report, as well as on a user-friendly Recommendations Tracking Tool to be used by the facility for follow-up work. Often, resources are provided to meet the recommendations requirements. During these on-site assessment visits, education programs can be provided to meet your specific needs.
For more information, contact:
Diane Kliethermes, Senior RM Assistant
573-893-5300
dkliethermes@hsg-group.com
PREMIUM DISCOUNT PROGRAM

We partner with Med-IQ to provide online educational courses. These courses are designed to provide Physicians/Surgeons, Allied Healthcare Professionals and Registered Nurses a convenient opportunity to improve risk management and patient safety practices, while earning continuing education credit. In addition, insured physicians, surgeons and allied health care professionals who successfully complete these online educational courses may qualify for a 1% Risk Management premium credit discount for each course completed, up to 10%.

We believe that our insured clients who apply solid risk management practices should see their efforts reflected in their premium. Participation is strictly voluntary in this program; however, it can result in a discounted premium of up to 10% on your professional liability insurance renewal.

MHP & MLA Clients

The first part of the program focuses on education. There are two ways to earn the education premium discount — up to 10% per year. Eligible insured Physicians/Surgeons or Allied Healthcare professionals can attend a one-hour, on-site risk management program, provided by a MLA consultant, for 3% premium discount or successfully complete our online educational courses for 1% premium discount for each completed course. These options can be combined to earn a total of 10% education premium discount per year.

MLA Clients Only

The second part of the program focuses on self-survey and office practice assessment and provides a 2.5% premium discount for two years upon premium renewal. Our Clinic Self-Survey is designed to assist in identifying and correcting risk management concerns in your office practice. In addition to the premium discount you will earn for reviewing and completing this Clinic Self-Survey, it will be reviewed by our Risk Management professionals and specific recommendations and action plans will be developed to help you address opportunities for improvement. A report comparing your organization to other survey respondents will also be provided.

For the Risk Management Premium Credit:
Online Education support:
Jesse Muenks, Vice President – Underwriting
Diane Kliethermes, Senior RM Assistant
573-893-5300
573-893-5300
jmuenks@hsg-group.com
dkliethermes@hsg-group.com
SOLUTIONS NEWSLETTER
Our SOLUTIONS newsletter is designed to provide our members with valuable information about risk management, patient safety, legal issues, coverage, benefits, ways to save on premiums and other costs, as well as ways to take advantage of all the products and services we offer. In each newsletter, look for updates and SOLUTIONS from Underwriting, Claims and Legal Services, Risk Management and Patient Safety, Marketing and Communications, ProCon, and the HSG Charitable Foundation.

LIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS
We are available to present live education programs in-person or via webinar with the opportunity for participants to ask questions. Presentations can also be pre-recorded and placed on-line, allowing your staff easy access to these programs at their convenience. We have developed educational programs on a wide variety of topics. Upon request, we also develop educational programs tailored specifically to your needs.

EMPATHETICS
Empathetics is a peer reviewed and researched innovative communication and interpersonal skills training program for medical professionals. The program leverages new, scientifically proven methods that enhance human relationships and make medical practice more effective and efficient. The Empathetics program is designed to enhance healthcare providers’ ability to communicate with patients and coworkers in order to continue delivering high quality care. Research also indicates that it can increase patient satisfaction with the entire healthcare experience.

HSG WEBSITE
www.hsg-group.com – Our website provides a “Clients Only” password protected area. Contents of the Risk Management & Patient Safety section include important risk management resources, including the Concepts manual online with downloadable sample policies that can be easily edited to fit your organization and Empathetics a peer reviewed and researched innovative communication and interpersonal skills training program for medical professionals. Please contact our IT Department for log in information.