Medical Malpractice Insurance For Non Doctors (8)
With the health care industry trying to keep costs low for insurance companies, doctors are not the only medical professionals who need medical malpractice insurance. The trend for many doctor's offices is to have nurse practitioners on hand to see patients when the doctor is busy tending to other patients. In the nationwide trend to reduce the costs of nursing homes or rehabilitation residences, traveling nurses have become a growing commodity to tend to patients in their home. Even physical therapists and counselors are in need of medical insurance as are holistic practitioners such as midwives and massage therapists who are liable for the health care they provide to their patients. All of these medical professionals are just as likely to be sued for malpractice as a doctor.
Nurse Practitioners
An Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), commonly referred to as a Nurse Practitioner (NP), holds a higher degree than a standard Registered Nurse (RN) and can perform many tasks that typically would be performed by a licensed doctor. This includes physical exams, ordering tests, analyzing test results and diagnosing certain conditions or diseases. They can also provide prenatal and well-child care. Nurse practitioners are in high demand at community clinics, home health agencies and nursing homes where the managing agency either cannot afford the salary of a doctor or they are trying to keep costs low for patients. With the type of health care nurse practitioners are asked to provide and the circumstances under which they provide the care, it is very important for them to have adequate malpractice insurance.
Traveling Nurses
Many patients recovering from surgery or receiving regular treatments hire a traveling nurse to assist them at home. They perform routine care as prescribed by the patient's doctor. Traveling nurses are typically independent contractors who do not fall under the insurance coverage of the hospital. While agencies are supposed to cover their contractors, the insurance policy is not always adequate to cover the entire amount awarded to the patient. If the traveling nurse works for more than one agency, there could also be a dispute as to which agency's insurance covers the nurse, creating a delay in covering legal fees and court costs.
Physical Therapists
Physical therapists do the same type of screening, evaluating and diagnosing as doctors do. They also must develop a program to perform with the patient and for the patient to do at home that will achieve the goals set forth for the patient. This requires a great deal of analysis of the patient's history, the medical issues they are experiencing, and the capabilities of the patient. Just as a physician, a physical therapist works with the information provided by the patient or the patient's doctor, which makes them just as susceptible to lawsuits. Every physical therapist should have medical malpractice insurance covering them in the event of a lawsuit.