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  • Web Accessibility Lawsuits

    Do you know if your practice website is compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)? If you want to check, you can scan for issues here. It is important to be certain, because web accessibility lawsuits and demand letters are big news. Because federal regulations require websites–even small practice websites–to be ADA compliant, demand letters alleging that websites are not compliant have increased dramatically. Being compliant often requires more than a free widget–it requires active mediation of issues and the ability to generate accessibility certificate and reports. If your site isn’t compliant with web accessibility standards, just settling a demand letter may cost $25k or more. Read more here.

  • Private Membership Associations

    Have you heard that providers can form a private membership association, (or a private healthcare association or an association membership)? The concept goes by many names, but the basic premise is the same: By forming a private association and only conducting business with members of that association, providers are no longer subject to governing bodies or licensing boards. Private membership association advocates claim that this protection is afforded by the United States Constitution, but at least one private membership association discovered that they were still subject to governance. Registered users can read more here.

  • The Right Coverage

    If your practice incorporates treatments, services or product that are not common in traditional practices, don’t assume that a traditional medical malpractice policy will provide all of the coverage your practice needs. Remember: Traditional malpractice policies are written for traditional practices. Integrative, holistic and functional medicine providers need to take extra steps when securing medical malpractice to make sure that their policy covers what they do. Read more here.

  • Practice Focus

    What is the focus of your practice? Developing a practice focus that is consistent with marketing and services helps to shape and meet patient expectations. Practice focus is generally a blend of Wellness, Disease, Symptom and Treatment. Understanding your specific practice is important to promote your practice and connect with potential patients. Considering practice focus is also important to understanding expansion opportunities. Read more here.

  • Nosing-in on a Policy

    Most providers are familiar with the dreaded “tail policy” which is a policy purchased for prior acts not covered by a policy going forward. A tail policy is required when a provider ends a claims-made policy and starts a new policy with a current effective date. The tail policy provides coverage for the acts prior to the new policy’s effective date. Another strategy that may be possible is to “nose-in” to a the new policy, which means that the new policy becomes retroactive–its effective date reflects the period of the prior acts–so that the provider doesn’t have to buy a tail. Nosing-in isn’t always an option, but it can be an effective way to maintain coverage and save money when it is an option. Read more here (Question #4).