by Alana Locascio
There are large amounts of malpractice lawsuits filed against doctors and physician assistant on a yearly basis. 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. All it takes is one simple and inconsequential lawsuit to put an end to a physician assistant’s career and possibly make him bankrupt. This is unless he is appropriately covered by medical professional liability insurance.
The physician assistant profession is one of the fastest growing professions in America. Moreover, many states are giving more duties and responsibilities to physician assistants because they’d like to keep the healthcare costs down. Given this scenario, it is absolutely certain that medical malpractice suits against physician assistants will continue to rise. 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.
Although a physician assistant is not an independent medical worker, he is subjected to personal medical liability. When it comes to the legal world, every healthcare practitioner is accountable for what is individually done.
Many PAs figure that they are safe if they are covered under their employer’s insurance program. But, that’s a wrong assumption. When they are put on an employer’s insurance policy, they are not insured for the full one hundred percent coverage. They can still be sued for their own negligible actions. They may have to pay the full or part of a plaintiff’s settlement.
All hospitals understand will get medical insurance that will cover its healthcare staff. But, this is not enough insurance. Physician assistants have to get personal malpractice insurance on their own or via a group. They are also responsible for choosing the right liability limits.
There are two types of malpractice insurance - “occurrence” and “claims-made.” If the malpractice episode occurs before the insurance policy expires, then it is called occurrence insurance. Even if you report it during the time that the policy is still in effect, the malpractice claim is still valid. However, this form of insurance has become rare because of the uncertainties surrounding malpractice suits. The second type of insurance known as claims made has become more popular these days.
In the “claims-made” type of insurance, all malpractice incidents that happen in the policy period must be reported to the insurance company when the policy is active. The claim will be disallowed if it is not reported before the insurance expires. Physician assistants who want coverage for claims that are reported after policy termination must buy another policy, which is called Extended Reporting Endorsement. Physician assistants who change their insurance companies (to lower their premiums or for any other reason), can buy “prior acts” insurance to cover incidents that have occurred but are not reported.
Physician assistants must choose a malpractice policy based on their duties and responsibilities, practice location and risk levels. 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 have to help find solutions for patient problems.
Class B physician assistants help with basic surgery, obstetrics, emergency situations up to a maximum of ten hours a week and anethesiology.
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. If the number of malpractice suits is on the rise in the state, then the physician assistant must choose a higher 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.