Public Relations & Media
Latest News
June 2010
PIAA Releases Updated Edition of Medical Professional Liability Insurance—A Practitioner’s Primer
The PIAA recently completed a rewrite of one of its signature publications, Medical Professional Liability Insurance—A Practitioner’s Primer. This popular handbook addresses major topics regarding medical professional liability (MPL) insurance and is designed to provide a comprehensive review of insurance fundamentals for insurance industry professionals, physicians, dentists, oral surgeons, allied healthcare professionals, and residents. The 2010 edition of the Primer has been revised to include new information on the elements of an MPL claim, MPL company structures and basic
operations, and MPL reform. It also contains an updated glossary of MPL and insurance terms. This comprehensive publication is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to learn more about MPL insurance. If you are interested in purchasing copies of the Primer online, click here to be directed to the publication search. You must be logged in to receive the member discount. Please note that the Primer can be customized with your company name and logo for distribution to your insureds. In addition, bulk
hard copy orders and electronic licensing options are available. Please contact the PIAA at 301.947.9000 for pricing information on these options as well as on all customized orders.
PIAA Data Presented At American Heart Association Meeting
The PIAA research department recently co-authored and presented a poster at the American Heart Association: Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Meeting in Washington, D.C. Working with the American College of Cardiology, the PIAA developed a poster entitled Medical Professional Liability Claims Involving Cardiologists: A Descriptive Study of 4,527 Cases. The information was prepared for researchers, medical students, healthcare professionals, and policymakers within the field of cardiology. The study examined closed cardiovascular medical professional
liability claims information extracted from the PIAA Data Sharing Project and is intended to assist cardiologists in improving the quality of cardiovascular care and reduce the incidence of patient injury and the consequent frequency of medical professional liability claims. If you would like to review the poster information, please visit the Data Sharing Project section of the PIAA website at www.piaa.us or contact P. Divya Parikh at dparikh@piaa.us.
PIAA Elects New Officers at May Conference
The PIAA elected a new slate of officers during its 33rd Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The Association’s Board elected James L. Weidner, chief executive officer of the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) and the Mutual Protection Trust (MPT), to serve as chair. Weidner joined CAP in 1995, and the number of California physicians served by the organization has tripled under his leadership. Click here for the full press release.
New HIPAA Guide Now Available
The complete third edition of the PIAA HIPAA Guide is now available in electronic format in the government relations area of the PIAA website. The new Guide contains all the information previously available regarding the Privacy and Security Rules, as well as the latest updates stemming from the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. The PIAA thanks its HIPAA Advisory Group for updating and revising this important resource. Click here to be directed to the Guide.
PIAA Restructures Affiliate Member Program for Defense Law Firms
The PIAA Defense Law Firm (DLF) Affiliate Membership category was initiated in 2008 to promote communication between medical professional liability (MPL) defense attorneys and the PIAA companies with which they work. The program was designed as a five-year pilot program with the flexibility to allow for the evolution of services and benefits that best meet the needs of DLF members. Based on feedback from the DLF member survey and the Defense Counsel Advisory Group—which consists of four DLF representatives and two insurance professionals—the PIAA has eliminated the advertising
benefits as part of the DLF membership structure and, based on this change, has significantly reduced the DLF membership dues for 2010. Please note that these marketing opportunities can still be purchased by DLF members on an “a la carte” basis. A number of successes were realized in 2009, including the publication of a regular column, “Case and Comment,” in Physician Insurer magazine and the creation of a DLF session which debuted at the May 2010 PIAA Annual Meeting in Chicago. As this program continued to progress, a number of new enhancements—including
the development of an expert witness database, the establishment of an online communication forum, and the addition of a resource page on the PIAA website for DLF members—are projected for 2010. The PIAA believes that broad participation in this membership category is critical to advance the organized effort to improve the healthcare litigation system. Please help make this program a success by connecting the PIAA with the defense law firms that work with your company. For more information, please contact Ginny Echeverria, director of business development and membership, at ginnye@piaa.us.
Login/Registration Instructions for Website
The newly redesigned PIAA website, www.piaa.us, has an enhanced individualized login feature that allows all board members, employees, and authorized representatives of PIAA member companies access to personalized member services and information. Create an online account to register for meetings and workshops, access enhanced content for members only, and utilize the restructured online store and shopping cart system. The setup is one-time, quick, and easy. Click here and follow five simple steps.