Hi I’m Dr. Stu Hoffman, President of ChiroSecure- back again with another risk management tip for you –
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever received a request from a patient for their records and a refund for their care because they didn’t feel they got the results they were looking for and went to see another doctor?
Nobody likes to get that call,
First, as a chiropractor we always want to help everyone the walks thorough our door.
Second, no one likes to have their care scrutinized by another doctor.
Lastly, if they are asking for their money back there may be some other motive other than they didn’t get better.
Once you get past your initial emotional reaction to the call, you need to stop and get your A.S.S. in gear. Analyze, Scrutinize and Strategize.
Analyze in your mind how you viewed the interaction with the patient as best as you remember and write it down. Did you feel the patient was doing better? Did the patient give you any signs they were not satisfied how their care was progressing? Was there anything regarding your care, your examination, your x-rays, your analysis, your diagnosis or prognosis that you felt was sub-par or that you could have done better?
Now Scrutinize your notes and see if your notes reflected the analysis you just wrote down? Do you feel your notes are in order. Is there anything in your notes, or missing from your notes that you are concerned about?
After you Analyze and Scrutinize it is time to Strategize your next step.
Do not, I repeat do not, strategize on your own or with a well meaning colleague.
Neither you nor they have the experience to know all the the intricacies of dealing with this.
If you are a ChiroSecure Client; and you should be, then I am your strategy partner. I have been doing this longer than most of you have been practicing and I can tell you it requires experience.
As we like to say, we are the leader in avoiding claims and for good reason.
Should you call the patient back and when?
What should you do if you recognize after you analyze and scrutinize that something is sub-par?
What if you took x-rays and when you scrutinize those you realize they were not of diagnostic quality?
What about the patient’s request for their money back? Should you offer that to them?
Do you know what to do before you send the records that the patient is requesting?
Do you know the signs as to whether this could escalate to a board issue or worse?
Remember this is a business decision not an emotional decision.
Here is the take-away. I started ChiroSecure as a chiropractor 24 years ago, and I built it on the premise that malpractice insurance is more than a premium you pay. For us at ChiroSecure it is about relationships and partnerships and these situations call for a Strategy Partner to help you make the right decisions because everyone of these situations are unique.
So let me ask you one more question. Whose your strategy partner because that is what malpractice insurance is really about?
So until next time, I’m Dr. Stu Hoffman, Like us on Facebook and I’ll look forward to bringing you another ChiroSecure Risk Management Tip.