Episode 106: I’m a Doc, Why Do I Need a Medical Liability Mitigation Company with Dr. Jeff Segal

It's been a while since we have discussed medical liability on the show but malpractice is a large and expensive part of what doctors have to face in today's medical landscape. Physicians are often under attack not just from frivolous lawsuits but also attacks from disgruntled patients online or office disputes. It is important for doctors to understand the risks they face both to their careers and personal reputation and to their practice and business. Malpractice is common which is obvious after you realize that 99% of surgeons will be sued at least once in a 30 year career. Traditionally, malpractice insurance carriers work to defensively protect physicians and their assets.

Playing Offense

This is where Dr. Segal and his company, Medical Justice, differs from your traditional legal defense firm. Medical Justice is a company that is membership based and protects doctors from not only malpractice lawsuits and online reputation attacks, but also is there to serve as a guide to help you survive any employee or patient dispute. He also says that unlike the typical insurance company, his will work offensively against the parties bringing the lawsuit with countersuits, etc. Practically, this means the doctor has someone who will work proactively defeat the plaintiffs,  but more importantly, to provide the advice necessary to prevent the lawsuits from happening in the first place.

Much of the mitigation process when medical errors or misadventures occur is to achieve an appropriate level of communication with the patient or family. This is often best handled with someone who is experienced who can provide the best course of action for lots of situations. By establishing this relationship ahead of time with an advisor, you can head off a lot of problems before they become really big problems.