Doctors and physician assistants are the victims of numerous malpractice lawsuits each year. Sadly enough, the physician assistant does not have to actually make an error to be held liable. Almost anything can happen when it comes to the medical world. Just one trivial lawsuit against a physician assistant can totally destroy his personal finances and career. This is what will happen if medical professional liability insurance is not purchased.
One of the quickest rising medical professions in America is that of the professional physician assistant. As can be expected, physician assistants are taking on more of the daily workload because a lot of states are looking for innovative solutions that will lower healthcare prices. When these facts are factored in, anyone can see that physician assistant malpractice suits will constantly keep increasing in the future. The AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants) estimates that there will be 141,000 clinically practicing physician assistants in USA by 2020. It is obvious that all of these working physician assistants can be sued for malpractice.
Physician assistants can be sued even if they are on their employer's insurance policy.
Even though a physician assistant is a dependent healthcare practitioner, he is always at risk of individual liability. In the eyes of the law, each medial worker can be held liable for what he does.
Many PAs figure that they are safe if they are covered under their employer's insurance program. But, that's a wrong assumption. PAs are not fully covered under such employer insurance programs. They can still be held individually liable for their own negligence. They could possibly be held responsible for giving the plaintiff the full amount or a part of what the plaintiff wants.
All hospitals understand will get medical insurance that will cover its healthcare staff. But, this is not enough insurance. Either they purchase insurance for themself or with a group, physician assistants must get medical insurance. They must also carefully choose their liability limits.
There are 2 sorts of insurance and they are based upon either the occurrence or the claims made. If the malpractice episode occurs before the insurance policy expires, then it is called occurrence insurance. With occurrence insurance, a claim that is reported late will still be covered if the incident in question took place before the insurance policy expires. But this kind of insurance policy is hard to find because of the mysteries that are associated with medical malpractice and lawsuits. The second type of insurance known as claims made has become more popular these days.
With claims made insurance policies, the malpractice incident has to happen and be reported during the time period that the insurance is in effect. The claim will be disallowed if it is not reported before the insurance expires. If physician assistants wants to receive coverage for malpractice claims that get reported after the insurance policy is no longer in effect, then they must purchase an extra insurance policy. Physician assistants who get another insurance company can opt for prior acts insurance that will still cover malpractice incidents that have actually occurred, but no one has reported them yet.
When it comes to getting the most suitable malpractice policy, a physician assistant must take certain factors into consideration such as the overall job responsibilities, where he practices and the amount of risk that he is faced with on a daily basis. A physician assistant's job responsibilities can be put into three different groups that are designated as Class A, B or C.
Class A physician assistants are those who assist in the diagnostic management of patients.
Class B physician assistants are those who assist in general surgeries, obstetrics (prenatal or postnatal care), trauma/emergency procedures (up to 10 hours per week), and anesthesiology.
As a Class C physician assistants, the responsibilities include assisting with neuro, cardiovascular, OB/GYN, thoracic and plastic surgery. Also, they are responsible for helping out with over ten hours weekly in trauma situations, cardiac catheterization and obstetric delivery room procedures.
Physician assistants should purchase the right about of insurance coverage if they help with risky procedures such as cardiovascular surgery. Physician assistants who assist in routine and safer procedures like diagnostic management can choose a lower limit. However, there is a noticeable increase in the state's medical malpractice lawsuits, then the physician assistant should opt for a much higher insurance limit.
Purchasing medical malpractice insurance will help save both the bank account and medical career or a practicing physician assistant. Even if he is on his employer's insurance policy, a physician assistant should also get his own coverage just to make sure that no risk is involved.
One of the quickest rising medical professions in America is that of the professional physician assistant. As can be expected, physician assistants are taking on more of the daily workload because a lot of states are looking for innovative solutions that will lower healthcare prices. When these facts are factored in, anyone can see that physician assistant malpractice suits will constantly keep increasing in the future. The AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants) estimates that there will be 141,000 clinically practicing physician assistants in USA by 2020. It is obvious that all of these working physician assistants can be sued for malpractice.
Physician assistants can be sued even if they are on their employer's insurance policy.
Even though a physician assistant is a dependent healthcare practitioner, he is always at risk of individual liability. In the eyes of the law, each medial worker can be held liable for what he does.
Many PAs figure that they are safe if they are covered under their employer's insurance program. But, that's a wrong assumption. PAs are not fully covered under such employer insurance programs. They can still be held individually liable for their own negligence. They could possibly be held responsible for giving the plaintiff the full amount or a part of what the plaintiff wants.
All hospitals understand will get medical insurance that will cover its healthcare staff. But, this is not enough insurance. Either they purchase insurance for themself or with a group, physician assistants must get medical insurance. They must also carefully choose their liability limits.
There are 2 sorts of insurance and they are based upon either the occurrence or the claims made. If the malpractice episode occurs before the insurance policy expires, then it is called occurrence insurance. With occurrence insurance, a claim that is reported late will still be covered if the incident in question took place before the insurance policy expires. But this kind of insurance policy is hard to find because of the mysteries that are associated with medical malpractice and lawsuits. The second type of insurance known as claims made has become more popular these days.
With claims made insurance policies, the malpractice incident has to happen and be reported during the time period that the insurance is in effect. The claim will be disallowed if it is not reported before the insurance expires. If physician assistants wants to receive coverage for malpractice claims that get reported after the insurance policy is no longer in effect, then they must purchase an extra insurance policy. Physician assistants who get another insurance company can opt for prior acts insurance that will still cover malpractice incidents that have actually occurred, but no one has reported them yet.
When it comes to getting the most suitable malpractice policy, a physician assistant must take certain factors into consideration such as the overall job responsibilities, where he practices and the amount of risk that he is faced with on a daily basis. A physician assistant's job responsibilities can be put into three different groups that are designated as Class A, B or C.
Class A physician assistants are those who assist in the diagnostic management of patients.
Class B physician assistants are those who assist in general surgeries, obstetrics (prenatal or postnatal care), trauma/emergency procedures (up to 10 hours per week), and anesthesiology.
As a Class C physician assistants, the responsibilities include assisting with neuro, cardiovascular, OB/GYN, thoracic and plastic surgery. Also, they are responsible for helping out with over ten hours weekly in trauma situations, cardiac catheterization and obstetric delivery room procedures.
Physician assistants should purchase the right about of insurance coverage if they help with risky procedures such as cardiovascular surgery. Physician assistants who assist in routine and safer procedures like diagnostic management can choose a lower limit. However, there is a noticeable increase in the state's medical malpractice lawsuits, then the physician assistant should opt for a much higher insurance limit.
Purchasing medical malpractice insurance will help save both the bank account and medical career or a practicing physician assistant. Even if he is on his employer's insurance policy, a physician assistant should also get his own coverage just to make sure that no risk is involved.
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