Risk Management Publications

New Rules and Regulations for Physician Assistants

If Physician Assistants (PAs) — a type of advance practice professional — are part of your practice, then you need to know that the rules and regulations for the supervision of PA’s were recently changed. Senate Bill No. 697, Physician Assistants: Practice Agreements: Supervision, was signed on October 9, 2019 and took effect on January 1, 2020.

Look for the Red Flags of Prescription Drug Abuse

Physicians may be forgiven for a feeling of whiplash after emerging from an era of pain-medication permissiveness to today’s opioid vigilance. Nevertheless, practitioners must always be alert to the warning signs of a patient who is abusing the trust of the physician- patient relationship.

Governor Remains Focused on Healthcare in New Budget

The $222 billion state budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 submitted by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January shows a continuing priority on the expansion and accessibility of healthcare. Overall, the 2020 budget proposal mirrors themes and items from the 2019 budget, with signs of the Governor expanding previous priorities.

Medicare Versus Your Employer Group Plan

If you are 65 or older, you face a dilemma your younger coworkers do not, and that is this: Is your employer-provided health insurance plan really your best possible option? The honest answer is: Maybe. It depends.

March, 2020

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February, 2020

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January, 2020

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CAP COVID-19 Resource Center

CAP is committed to helping our member physicians meet the challenges that arise during the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, CAP has launched our COVID-19 resource page, which will continually be revised with key guidance and current best practices. Among the useful resources the site currently offers are printable office signage templates, healthcare provider resources, and extensive guidance to implementing telemedicine in your practice.

The Latest Strategies for Treating and Protecting Against Coronavirus

As new information emerges daily around the Coronavirus and as the search for answers continue, the risk management and patient safety experts with the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) would like to ensure that physicians and medical communities across California have access to the most reliable resources to remain aware of the latest strategies in treatment, protection, and prevention.

The Coronavirus Threat Lurking Beyond the Clinic

Outside of websites, texts, and social media posts advertising fake products, cures, and false information, physicians and their staff should be aware of phishing emails circulating throughout the healthcare industry, among others. CAPAdvantage program member, Acentec, has recently distributed an alert to warn the medical community of scammers who are trying to capitalize on fears surrounding the virus and its potential spread.

New Evidence About Severe Pulmonary Disease Linked to Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)

Electronic Nicotine Delivery systems (ENDS) are the newest emerging technology in the epidemic of novel tobacco products that has been spilling out of start-up companies for the last 13 years. So physicians wonder, “How should I respond when my patients seek advice about using these electronic devices?”

How to Respond to Patient Grievance Letters

What should you do when your office receives a grievance letter from a health plan and a written response is requested?

Patient Record Requests: What Is Proper Release Protocol?

Medical practices frequently receive medical record release requests from multiple sources, including subpoenas, attorney letters, and patients themselves. Learn the answers to several frequently asked questions by patients.

Refresher: Discontinuing the Patient-Physician Relationship

CAP's Hotline receives frequent calls requesting guidelines on discontinuing/terminating this patient-physician relationship, not because of wellness, but because the physician no longer desires to have the patient in his practice. From these calls, we have learned of "misunderstandings," which this article intends to clarify.

Who Must Sign a Death Certificate?

CAP member physicians frequently call our hotline with questions about completing a patient’s death certificate. Sometimes, they are reluctant to sign the legal document since they were not in attendance at the time of death. Other times, they inquire if their nurse practitioner or physician assistant can sign the death certificate for them.

Does Your Medical Practice Need a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Certificate of Waiver?

Does your staff perform any in-office laboratory tests, such as patient urine dip-sticks or Glucose Tolerance Tests?

How Long Do I Have to Keep My Patient’s Medical Records?

Here is the question asked most often on our risk management hotline: How long should our office retain patient medical records and billing information?

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