Skip to main content
Full access
Legal News
Published Online: 15 May 2017

Risk Management Considerations if You’re Thinking of Serving as a Medical Director

Lately we have been receiving an increase in calls from psychiatrists considering serving in the role of medical director of clinics, office practices, and inpatient and outpatient programs. There are unique liability risks when both practicing in the role as psychiatrist and acting as a medical director. These are some of the issues to consider:
Contractual considerations: Before considering whether to serve in the role of medical director, the agency/clinic likely will present you with a contract for terms of employment and how your role will be structured within the practice. Keep in mind that the contract is likely designed to protect the business and not necessarily you personally. Prior to signing and accepting the terms, you should consult and obtain advice from an attorney who has experience analyzing employment contracts for physicians. Once you sign the contract, it will likely be more difficult to alter your role, and there may be provisions within the contract that could impact you significantly.
Supervision of staff and compliance with state regulations: As the medical director, you may likely be in the role of ultimate supervisor at the agency. You also may be the collaborating physician/supervising physician for other psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants. It is important to know what your responsibilities are both within your employment contract but also what your statutory obligations are within your state. Know whether you are expected to meet with those you supervise and be aware of who the clinic employs and what type of oversight they may require.
It is not uncommon for medical directors to be included in lawsuits if there is an adverse outcome involving a professional within the clinic even if the medical director had no direct involvement with the patient. However, whether there is liability for the alleged issue will depend on a number of factors.
Ensuring that the clinic’s policies and procedures are in compliance with regulations and are adhered to: One of the first things you should do as medical director is review the clinic’s policies and procedures.
Do they need to be updated?
How often are they reviewed?
Are they in compliance with state and federal laws?
Do you have a designated person who reviews the policies and procedures on a specific timeframe or when there is a significant change in practice/state regulations?
Recognizing situations in which your interests may diverge from the clinic’s interests: What should you do if things go awry? It is important to recognize when your interests differ from the clinic’s interests—for example, if you are uncomfortable with billing, administrative, or prescribing practices. If something occurs that is of concern, you should obtain legal or risk management advice on how to best address the situation. It is always advisable to obtain advice as soon as possible to avoid issues that could potentially impact your licensure or place you at risk for a lawsuit or board of medicine complaint. ■
This information is provided as a risk management resource and should not be construed as legal, technical, or clinical advice. This information may refer to specific local regulatory or legal issues that may not be relevant to you. Consult your professional advisors or legal counsel for guidance on issues specific to you. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without the express, written permission of Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG (“Allied World”). Risk management services are pro-vided by or arranged through AWAC Services Company, a member company of Allied World.

Biographies

Kristen Lambert, J.D., M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W., is vice president of the Psychiatric and Professional Liability Risk Management Group of AWAC Services Company, a member company of Allied World.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

History

Published online: 15 May 2017
Published in print: May 6, 2017 – May 19, 2017

Keywords

  1. Risk management
  2. Medical director
  3. Kristen Lambert
  4. AWAC Services Company
  5. Liability

Authors

Details

Kristen Lambert, , J.D., M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard

View Options

View options

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share