Professional liability is a coverage that is also known as errors and omissions insurance. A professional that provides a paid service, such as a physician, will require professional liability insurance coverage. This insurance will cover many risks that are faced by doctors at hospitals and at a private practice.

An article on the American Medical News website explains unconventional claims faced by physicians. They state:

“Administrative claims against doctors are likely to rise as the Affordable Care Act increases regulatory and compliance requirements for health professionals.”

Physicians need to be aware that some attorneys are actively looking for ways of suing doctors that are not related to patient care. One of these ways is for administrative negligence. This is the failure of you, or your office, to have required policies and procedures for health care currently in place.

The passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 may also increase the number of lawsuits that are filed for professional liability. Doctors may find themselves being sued for services received in a department that they only administer, but not personally serve. Claims of this nature are not typical of standard professional liability insurance.

Requirements of the Affordable Care Act have increased many of the compliance and regulatory requirements faced by the healthcare industry. Increasing mandates may cause more unconventional professional liability claims to be filed.

Another way that a physician can be sued is if employees are not properly supervised. This can include subordinates not getting proper authorization when making changes to prescriptions. You need to ensure a professional liability policy will cover decisions that are outside of regular patient care areas.

If you have any questions about the coverage that is included with your professional liability insurance policy, then contact us for a review. We can recommend coverage options for any risks that may affect you, your office or organization.