COPIC Comment: COPIC’s medical resident program

Monday, July 01, 2013 12:44 PM

An inside perspective to help physicians maximize their knowledge to minimize risk

Ted J. Clarke, MD
Chairman & CEO
COPIC Insurance Company

As health care evolves so does the need for arming the next generation of physicians with insight to understand the challenges they will face. The COPIC Resident Rotation in Patient Safety and Medical Liability Program was designed to complement physicians’ medical school education as they are transitioning into clinical settings – an important time to recognize how medical liability issues impact the practice of medicine.

Since 2004, COPIC has partnered with Colorado residency programs to offer a week-long rotation as a first-hand experience that draws upon the expertise of our staff. Each year, COPIC’s program hosts more than 170 participants and focuses on the following key areas:

• An inside look at medical incidents, medical errors, medical liability claims and the world of medical-legal practice.
• Patient safety initiatives – What they are, what are the opportunities for practice improvement and systems, and what are the barriers to implementation?
• An understanding of the difference in the epidemiology of medical practice by specialty, and the epidemiology of medical errors and medical liability claims within different specialties.
• The value of communication, early reporting and patient relationships in reducing claims and improving patient outcomes.

The program also offers the following activities:

• Group discussions with COPIC departments including Patient Safety and Risk Management, Claims, Legal, and Underwriting as well as time with members of our Senior Management team.
• Chart reviews – Using a variety of specialty-specific closed claim files, residents are exposed to important teaching points, the aspects of expert testimony and the process of analyzing a case.
• Claims Department Round Table – Residents sit in as cases are discussed in an open forum that covers areas such as standard of care, defensibility, documentation and the overall process of managing a claim.
• Claims Committee – Residents are able to observe how this committee, a majority of which are practicing physicians, reviews cases and evaluates the quality of care through discussions that involve claims consultants and attorneys.
• Half-day to full-day attendance at selected local venues where medical liability trials are taking place (when possible).
• Video and online courses that cover topics such as medical errors, disclosure, documentation, handoffs and patient safety.

The main purpose of residents participating in a rotation at COPIC is to provide them with real-world knowledge about all of the factors which can lead up to a claim or lawsuit as well as the factors which determine the defensibility of a claim or lawsuit and potential outcomes. We believe this gives residents a better idea of how a medical liability company operates and how they, as physicians, can minimize their risks and improve patient safety. And it demonstrates how COPIC is committed to being a trusted partner and resource for health care professionals, from the beginning of their careers through their retirement.

So what do participants think of the program? Here’s what a few had to say after recently completing it:

• “Very important, not only in the current culture, but also to provide better documentation and overall medical care.”
• “[What I liked most was] having direct access to real cases to learn from as well as open, knowledgeable experts in this field.”
• “This is an amazing experience for residents. No discussion, lecture or presentation given during residency can replicate going over real cases with real [claims] adjusters and real lawyers.”