Looking Forward: Membership has its privileges

Tuesday, September 01, 2015 12:39 PM

by CMS and COPIC staff report

When you are focused on taking care of patients, it’s nice to know that others are focused on taking care of you. Whether you are insured by COPIC or a CMS member (or both), there are many benefits each organization provides. We wanted to remind you of the resources available to support your efforts in health care.

In addition to solid defense when you face a lawsuit or claim, COPIC insureds have access to the following:

• Cyber liability coverage – Policies include coverage for cyber claims such as data breaches and cyber attacks; as health care is a key target for cybercrime, it is important to have reliable protection and support in this area.
• An extensive list of education activities – There are more than 100 opportunities available through in-person seminars and online courses; these cover timely topics and allow you to earn points toward a premium discount. View a current listing at www.callcopic.com/education.
• Practice Quality (PQ) visits – On-site assessments designed to provide insight on best practices while addressing areas for improvement; these also help ensure that adequate internal systems (e.g. documentation, test tracking, patient follow up, etc.) are in place.
• 24/7 hotline for advice – Problems don’t occur on a 9-5 schedule, so COPIC physician risk managers are always available to assist you and provide guidance through our hotline.
• 3Rs Program – Recognized by The New England Journal of Medicine and Health Affairs, the 3Rs (Recognize, Respond and Resolve) Program attempts to preserve the physician-patient relationship after an adverse outcome and reimburse the patient for medical-related expenses.
• Legal department assistance – Attorneys and paralegals can assist in answering legal-related questions or to point you in the right direction for legal help.

When asked how they utilize COPIC, some insureds pointed to these examples:

• “Clinic visits to identify weaknesses in the practice and the ability to call at any time and get advice about a possible risk.”
• “[COPIC] provides proactive physician risk management education…essentially ‘preventive medicine’ against lawsuits.”
• “When I was a resident, I was able to watch the 3Rs Program in action and see how much all the ‘grown up’ doctors trusted COPIC.”

The Colorado Medical Society is the largest professional membership organization in the state speaking on physicians’ behalf in the legislature, the courtroom and the boardroom. There are numerous ways to be engaged in such fundamental issues as improving the quality and cost effectiveness of care delivered in our state, the economic viability of physician practices, and bolstering professionalism.

• Advocacy – CMS aggressively advocates at the state Capitol with its lobby team and through its political action committee, COMPAC, by supporting pro-physician and pro-patient legislators. Physicians across the state participate by interviewing candidates and making recommendations for endorsement. Members also testify for or against legislation during session.
• Leadership – CMS provides leadership training like the Advanced Physician Leadership Program and involvement opportunities on its Board of Directors and committees and commissions that develop policies on the most important topics in medicine. CMS also recommends physicians to serve on outside task forces, commissions, and working groups.
• Practice support and discounts – CMS provides practice support and negotiates discounts on your behalf with member benefit partners that offer special deals and services at reduced rates. Need a HIPAA-compliant mobile app for medical communication? How about financial planning services from firms that know physicians’ priorities? CMS partners cover a broad range of services.
• Practice simplification – CMS advocates for quality patient care and reduced administrative hassle. As a central organizer of the Clean Claims Task Force, CMS is working to develop a standardized set of payment rules and claim edits to be used by payers and health care providers in Colorado that will ultimately save millions.

CMS and COPIC help physicians and practices endure the challenging and constantly evolving medical environment by having your back. We provide the unity to keep you connected while also providing the tools to help your bottom line, help you navigate the legal environment, help you succeed with new quality and reporting requirements, and help you transform your practice to increase your career satisfaction. With physicians, by physicians and for physicians – COPIC and CMS are here for you.