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...
This case study was made available to MIEC through our partnership with CRICO. It was originally written by Margaret Janes, JD,RN, CRICO. Description Shoulder injury after flu vaccine administration. Key Lessons Develop annual competencies to ensure that staff are up to date on current practice Identify a point person for the patient to contact following unexpected events Clinical Sequence A 43-year-old, otherwise healthy, patient received their annual flu vaccine at their primary care physician’s office. The flu vaccine was administered by a licensed practical nurse (LPN) via right deltoid muscle injection. The patient had some initial tenderness at the injection...
2026 HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) – Required Updates
By February 16, 2026, all HIPAA-covered entities, including physician practices, clinics, and hospitals, must update their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) to reflect federal rule changes that went into effect last year but which were partially impacted by a subsequent court ruling. Background The HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (Final Rule) was published by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in April 2024, as a response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in 2022 that allowed states to legally prohibit abortion. The Final Rule addressed public concern about protected health information (PHI)...
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...
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