COPIC Comment: Sharing what we have learned

Tuesday, March 01, 2016 12:30 PM

The process behind developing COPIC’s education activities

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

Education is a significant aspect of health care. From the first day of medical school to the final days of practice, we understand that our roles require a dedication to lifelong learning. To support this, COPIC combines the experiences of our staff and insureds with the extensive data we review in order to develop professional education opportunities.

Each year, we present nearly 400 in-person seminars that feature more than 20 speakers, and we currently have a library of over 25 on-demand courses available. Most of the seminars and courses qualify for CME credit. And each year we go through a rigorous process to identify topics for these activities. The following are key resources that COPIC draws from to develop its education opportunities.

1. Insight from claim reviews – The detailed data we gather through our claims review process helps us pinpoint areas of concern and better understand the causes of adverse outcomes. Once we identify an issue that requires attention, we are able to respond in a timely manner and develop education that offers insight and guidance for the health care community.

• “Diagnostic Errors – Thinking Like Sherlock” is a seminar that we developed to address the crucial issue of diagnostic errors found in medical liability claims. Participants discuss the importance of addressing diagnostic errors and identify types of these errors they are likely to encounter. Using diagnostic timeouts and awareness of how we reason, an approach similar to Sherlock Holmes’ in solving cases, the seminar also focuses on building a skillset to decrease and prevent diagnostic errors from occurring.

2. Current medical literature and trends in health care – Every week, new research appears and has the potential to influence how we practice medicine. From prominent medical publications to information released by government agencies, we follow this closely and examine how it may change approaches to patient care.

• In response to a significant rise in prescription drug overdoses, COPIC developed “Opioids: It’s Still a Problem.” This seminar is designed to help distinguish specific liability risks in the medical treatment of pain, with a focus on areas such as misdiagnosis, overprescribing and diversion. It also covers tools to help in managing patients with chronic pain, including opioid agreements, pain specialist consultation and documentation guidelines.
• “Maximizing Safe and Effective Practice with Physicians, PAs and APNs” has become a particularly relevant seminar as the Affordable Care Act has changed how health care systems and medical practices utilize allied health professionals and the ways they interact with patients.

3. Input from our staff – The day-to-day interactions we have with medical professionals also provide us with important insight. Whether it is direct inquiries from insureds or issues identified as part of on-site reviews, these experiences keep us connected to current challenges in health care.

• “Tales from the Hotline” is a seminar we offered last year and brought back in 2016 due to its popularity. Using de-identified case studies based on real calls we received on our risk management hotline, we profile complex medical-legal situations that may arise and discuss how to manage these effectively.

4. Feedback from insureds – Every time an insured completes a COPIC course or seminar, he or she is able to provide feedback on what he or she liked and where we can make improvements. This information is invaluable for adjusting the focus of current activities and helping us identify emerging topics.

• As the role of technology continues to expand in health care, new questions about practice standards also emerge. “Communicating Electronically with Colleagues and Patients” was specifically developed to address the use of email, texting, web portals and telemedicine. This seminar helps participants understand the privacy and security risks with electronic communications, and reviews best practices and guidelines to consider.

Sharing knowledge with others is essential to improving medical outcomes. That is why COPIC remains committed to investing the time and resources to develop education that supports medical professionals and their efforts to stay informed. Visit www.callcopic.com/education to learn more about the education courses and seminars that COPIC offers.