PRMS Blog

There’s a new online JAMA article entitled Mandatory Use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs in which the authors state the following: “22 of the 49 states with PDMPs now legally mandate prescribers to query the system before writing for controlled substances with recognized potential for abuse or dependence.” To me, that statement seemed too broad to be true, as I’m only ...

Are you are thinking about adding e-prescribing to your practice? Or do you practice in New York (where you must begin e-prescribing by March 27th) and don’t know where to start? Here’s what you need to know: 1. Understand the law – federal and state Most federal law relevant to e-prescribing involves electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS). The software vendor m ...

Many medical professional liability companies only offer claims-made policies to behavioral healthcare providers like you. You are probably familiar with some common assumptions associated with claims-made policies: –  A claims-made policy protects you against claims for an incident if the policy is active when the “claim” is “made”. Correct! –  An incident must be within the ...

Can’t decide what resolutions to make for 2015? How about making a resolution to improve patient care and reduce liability? We know from our experience in handling more than 20,000 claims and lawsuits against psychiatrists that your highest risk exposures are related to psychopharmacology and treating patients with suicidal behaviors. We also know that there are specific steps ...

I’ve recently had several calls from physicians who have developed an online presence to seek new patients. Online marketing of your practice seems like a great option to grow a practice. However, what I’m hearing is that many patients who find doctors online do not want a treatment relationship, but rather only want controlled substances. To dissuade potential patients who sim ...

Behavioral healthcare providers working at hospitals, clinics or facilities may opt for coverage under the entity’s policy instead of purchasing their own coverage. At first glance, doing so may seem to be a wise choice from an economic standpoint; however, there are other equally important factors that should be considered before making such an important decision. 1. Avoiding ...

Here are my top four things to consider before using Skype – or any other technology – for telemedicine: 1) Does the technology comply with HIPAA’s requirements? Under the Privacy Rule, the technology vendor is a Business Associate if it stores (for any amount of time, no matter how short) or has access to protected health information (patient demographic and medical informatio ...

As I am finalizing preparation for PRMS’ national CME seminar on technology in San Francisco on October 18, I saw the headlines about the hospital EHR flaw that is being mentioned in the press as a reason for the Ebola patient’s initial release from the hospital and the resulting public harm threat. From CNBC: “’The hospital Thursday night said when Duncan was first examined Se ...

In reviewing our early risk management newsletters, I stumbled upon the fact that PRMS’ risk managers have been writing on the topic of telemedicine since 1998! The Fall 1998 issue of our risk management newsletter contained an article titled “ Telemedicine: The Next Generation of Care?” So for a “Throwback Thursday” post, I thought I would review what my colleagues had to say ...

The Minnesota Mental Health Community Foundation – the charitable arm of the Minnesota Psychiatric Society – is just a few years old, but its worthy goals have made it a standout choice for continued PRMS support. The Foundation’s mission is to build broad-based awareness about mental illness by educating the public and making connections to support the mental health profession ...