going bare (malpractice)

[FCP]

I had a brief question.  I am a child psychiatry fellow, and I cover a child psychiatry inpatient unit 1-2 weekends a month (seeing about 20 kids on the unit each day).  The cost/benefit ratio of doing this (occasional moonlighting) goes toward less benefit if I pay for malpractice insurance ($1000 for claims made, $3000 for occurrence based).  These are primarily Medicaid patients.  Have any of you "gone bare"?  In this scenario, would it be that risky?  I don't discharge any patients; I do admit them; and I essentially just continue the same treatment plan through the weekend.

[Hatton]

I really guess that depends on how litigious these types of patients are. I really don't know how litigious psychiatry is in General. I am in a very litigious field (Ob) and I would not consider going bare. The rates are minuscule as well. I sit on a committee for my carrier that looks at active cases to give input as to whether to settle the case. A psychiatric case was reviewed at the last meeting. It was an adult case. It involved a death and will probably settle. Stuff happens you will sleep better with this type of insurance.

[The White Coat Investor]

No way I'd go bare. Too much to lose.

[lernd]

1.  Plenty can go wrong without discharging a patient.

2.  Continuing someone else's plan won't shield you from liability if the plan was a bad one.

3.  If a malpractice suit occurs, assume everyone whose name is in the chart is going to be named, at least initially, in the suit (you may be dismissed later, but in the mean time you're paying out of pocket for representation).

If the premium for an occurance-based policy is 3,000, I'd moonlight an extra weekend and sleep better forever.

 

Just out of curiosity, is there literature on rates of malpractice suits for medicaid vs. non-medicaid patients?  I ask because you specifically mentioned the patient population.

[Docbeans]

lernd wrote:

1.  Plenty can go wrong without discharging a patient.

2.  Continuing someone else’s plan won’t shield you from liability if the plan was a bad one.

3.  If a malpractice suit occurs, assume everyone whose name is in the chart is going to be named, at least initially, in the suit (you may be dismissed later, but in the mean time you’re paying out of pocket for representation).

If the premium for an occurance-based policy is 3,000, I’d moonlight an extra weekend and sleep better forever.

 

Just out of curiosity, is there literature on rates of malpractice suits for medicaid vs. non-medicaid patients?  I ask because you specifically mentioned the patient population.

Click to expand...

Not specific to Medicaid patients, but this 2012 study in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research found that poorer patients were less likely than affluent patients to sue their doctor, in part because of a more limited access to legal resources and a payment system in medical malpractice claims, which requires an advance on funds to litigate the case.

[G]

I wouldn't go bare.  If they need you bad enough, they'll pay to cover you.  Or you can just take advantage of your free time!