Medical directorships: legal risks and liability considerations for physicians
Medical directorships can offer physicians meaningful leadership opportunities within healthcare organizations. These roles often involve oversight of clinical care, staffing, policies, and other administrative responsibilities within a facility or organization. However, physicians may underestimate the potential liability associated with serving as a medical director. Some assume their exposure will be minimal if a claim for substandard care is brought against the facility. In reality, medical directors may still be named in litigation and face personal financial risk, even when a contract includes indemnification language. This article outlines several legal and liability considerations physicians should understand when serving in a medical directorship role. It concludes...
Declining trust in healthcare: what it means for you as a clinician
Trust has long been a cornerstone of effective medical care. Patients who trust their clinicians are more likely to follow treatment plans, seek preventive care, and communicate openly. Yet national data show that public trust in healthcare, and in physicians specifically, has declined in recent years, creating new challenges at the point of care. While most patients still trust their own doctor, clinicians are increasingly encountering skepticism, misinformation, and hesitation that can complicate even routine clinical interactions. What the data shows Multiple national surveys confirm a measurable decline in trust in physicians and health information sources: The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reports that trust in one’s own doctor to...
Last year, numerous pieces of legislation impacting physicians were signed into law in California. The following new health laws are particularly relevant to physician practices and medical professional liability. This alert is based in part on information obtained from the California Medical Association. All laws are effective January 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted. Advanced practice providers: AB 1501 Updates and clarifies various statutory provisions governing physician assistants (PAs), supervising physicians, and podiatrists. These changes impact administrative processes, modify licensing, renewal, and application fees for PAs and podiatrists, and align licensing processes and terminology between the associated professional licensing agencies. The key...
DEA Extends Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities Through 2026
Just before the clock struck midnight on the New Year, the DEA issued a long-awaited formal statement clarifying the federal rules for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine in the coming year. Since May 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has repeatedly extended the COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances, which had been set to expire at the end of the federal COVID Public Health Emergency (PHE). The flexibilities affected an important requirement of The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which requires prescribers to conduct an in-person examination (i.e. in a medical office) to evaluate each...
This resource was made available to MIEC through our partnership with Candello. It was written by Hannah Tremont, MPH In today's complex health care environment, preventing harm requires more than reviewing past events; it requires identifying risks before they lead to safety incidents or malpractice claims. At Candello's 2025 Summit session, Raising the Bar for Risk Assessments, three subject matter experts examined the evolution of CRICO and Candello’s Risk Assessment Program and shared strategies to strengthen safety culture across organizations. They outlined two primary assessment models—the Risk Appraisal Process (RAP), which evaluates entire organizations, and the Service Line Risk Assessment...
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