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Successful insurers attract, bind, and retain the right business at the right price with the combined ratio they desire. OmniSure can assist in all these areas with our invaluable resources and many years of industry expertise resulting in a more profitable book of business for you. Here are the top five reasons you need OmniSure:

1. Attract Better Risks

You want to attract quality providers and operators to your insurance program. Quality providers of healthcare and human services are less likely to have losses because they are eager to reduce risk and improve outcomes, and they expect their insurance partner to provide the supportive services needed to help them achieve their risk management goals.  OmniSure provides training, resources, on-demand advice from experts, and comprehensive assessments to help your policyholders avoid, reduce, and better manage the risk of claims.  

2. Select and Write the Best Risks

Our technical expertise and dedicated specialists help you craft better policies by more deeply understanding and staying up to date on the latest trends, regulatory changes, and service offerings in healthcare and human services. Whether it’s deep insights on emerging risks, training related to a specific business niche, or prebind risk consults on potential new business, our specialty-specific clinical knowledge is your key to selecting, underwriting and properly pricing the best risks. 

3. Maintain Better Relationships

We go beyond the initial risk assessment and recommendations to help you stay profitable.  OmniSure produces co-branded educational materials and stays engaged with your policyholders on your behalf, equipping them with a library of tools, training videos, and the ongoing support they need to avoid losses and improve outcomes, at no additional expense. Policyholder engagement not only reduces losses, it builds relationships and drives retention. 

4. Reduce Risk and Control Losses

Risk assessments provide a snapshot widescale look at your policyholders’ operations but it’s what happens during the policy period that determines the outcome. Because OmniSure stays engaged with your policyholders throughout the policy period, we help identify and address issues in real time, as they arise. Policyholders get monthly risk tips are continuously encouraged to take advantage of our confidential helpline for advice-on-demand, which is answered live 24/7. And they do! OmniSure’s deep bench and nationwide network of diverse specialists mean your policyholders get personalized pre-claim loss prevention advice from consultants who speak their language because they’ve worked directly with their unique profession or business. 

5. Retain and Refine the Risks You Want 

Long term success in this business is the result of valuable relationships built on mutual trust and exceptional service. You want to know that your policyholders are doing what you expect of them and they want to know you are there when they need you most. We are key to building that relationship; a trusted set of outside eyes and an advisor for you when it comes whether and at what terms to renew; and a caring professional for the policyholder with the advice they need when they need it. Many policyholders are happy to renew, even if it means paying higher rates than they could get elsewhere, because of the service they’ve received from their carrier by way of OmniSure. 

BONUS:  Better care. Saving lives. 

If you are in the business of insuring healthcare and human service organizations, and you provide your policyholders with OmniSure’s services, you are extending more than professional liability policies. Your offering extends the benefit of better care and saving lives. Policyholders tell us regularly that our risk assessments and recommendations, advice-on-demand, and proactive risk and safety resources have saved their patients’ lives and in some cases their very careers. 

If you’re interested in learning more about partnering with OmniSure to build a successful book of business, prevent losses and improve care, get in touch with one of our experts today.

Caregivers are often emotionally vulnerable after an unanticipated or adverse outcome. They may experience fear, guilt, frustration, defensiveness, and general distress. This can cause them to do things that are inconsistent with their standard protocols. It’s important to remember that negative outcomes happen in patient care and it’s rarely because of any intention on the part of the healthcare provider.

In the event of an adverse outcome, keep this advice top of mind to avoid further harm to you, your patient, or your organization:

1. Avoid doing anything that is not in line with your standard protocols, such as completing extra written statements or summaries of the patient’s care, handling the medical record differently, or rewriting anything. Discuss all of these with your risk manager first. In other words, do not alter, add, or delete anything in the clinical record or business files.
2. Create a separate incident file for quality assurance, litigation, or claim correspondence.
3. When processing a medical record request, send copies only. Make sure that the copy you send is clear and legible. You should never release original documents from the patient chart.
4. If you are contacted by the media, outside attorneys, physicians, or other providers, contact your Risk Management Helpline or insurance company designee before responding.

Once an event becomes a claim or a lawsuit, it’s predominantly the responsibility of your insurance company’s risk manager, claims specialist, or the appointed attorney to manage and lead the process. Lean on them and feel free to ask as many questions as you need to along the way.

Finally, if you are asked to provide testimony, be sure to think through each of the critical issues. We also recommend practicing verbalizing your position on each of those critical issues. Be prepared to handle criticism and respond to argumentative questions. By preparing for these high-pressure scenarios, you are better equipped to present yourself calmly and professionally.

While no healthcare provider expects that they will find themselves in this situation, staying informed and calm is the best way to protect all parties involved. Have questions or need help making a plan? OmniSure experts are available for On-Demand advice. Contact us to learn how you can gain access to on-demand support and a library of helpful resources.

In 2015, the CDC reported that 4.5 million people received home health care, and experts argue that this number has only risen in recent years. The rise in the frequency of hospital-at-home models, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, has contributed to dramatic growth in the sector. While home health is widely considered to be a great alternative to hospitals and nursing facilities, one overlooked area is that the industry is struggling to keep pace with demand, seeing a steady increase in liability claims since 2011.

Home health made up more than 20% of total closed claims against nurses in 2020, while professional liability for nurses in other areas of aging services only accounted for 11.2% of claims in 2020. 

There are a variety of factors that can cause home health care workers to be at higher risk for liability claims, including lacking institutional support from hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other health care organizations. However, the main cause is more likely the rapid shift towards home health, including hospital-at-home programs, skilled nursing facilities (SNF) at-home models, in-home cancer care initiatives, and specialized at-home offerings. As the demand for home care rockets, workers are struggling to keep up and potential risks increase.

In addition to demand for care, the type of workers that take on home health positions also plays an important role. The majority of care in the home is delivered by unlicensed assistive personnel and certified nursing assistants (CNAs), placing more responsibility on home-based nurses for overall patient care. 

Demand for workers in the field is expected to increase by 41% by 2026, which will outpace job growth, only expected to increase by 18%. The industry has been challenged by difficulties in hiring and training, and there has been some concern that recent immigration legislation could lead to additional staffing shortages, as a significant number of workers are traditionally foreign-born. 

The current situation facing home health workers makes risk management a priority for the industry. A combination of focused hiring and training procedures and close relationships with risk management consultants, like OmniSure, are key for home health care agencies now and in the future. 

As an expert in the field, OmniSure recommends maintaining regular oversight practices to monitor activities of in-home care staff along with making sure that nurses stay on top of documentation and communicate regularly with physicians involved in patient care. It’s also important that home health workers and nurses stay within their own scope of practice. Through efforts from workers, nurses, their agencies, and their risk management partners like OmniSure, the industry can stay on top of this rise in malpractice claims and continue to be seen as a key player in the field. 

OmniSure is ready to support your team–see how we can help here.

Watch our home health video for more tips:

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among American women, second only to certain types of skin cancer. Although primary care providers do not diagnose breast cancer or treat it, they are involved in several stages, the first being a trusted resource for their patient.

PCPs are often the first line of defense when it comes to detecting breast cancer. Commonly, a PCP may be who a patient goes to first if they feel a lump in their breast and are usually involved in routine screenings. It is important that providers recommend routine mammograms or other breast cancer screenings in order to avoid missing a diagnosis.

However, in many cases the primary care physician’s work is not done after screening. If diagnosed by an Oncologist with breast cancer, many women choose to go to their primary care providers (PCP) seeking more personal support through the process. The role of the PCPs in the breast cancer treatment conversation is a relatively unexpected one for many members of the medical field, as that role generally falls to an oncologist or specialist. However because of a likely longer and more personal relationship with a patient, many PCPs find themselves involved in conversations around treatment.

In a recent study, 1 in 3 primary care providers reported discussing breast cancer treatment options with their patients who are newly-diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Many PCPs report feeling uncomfortable or that they do not have the necessary knowledge to help patients make treatment decisions. It is important for PCPs to remember that although they do serve as an important part of their patient’s support network, they are not responsible for guiding the patient’s cancer treatment choices.

Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, MACP, interim chief medical and scientific officer at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia reminds PCPs that they don’t need to be experts to be an excellent physician for their patients, and frequently a close relationship with a patient can be beneficial. He adds that even just listening and advocating for the patient can play an important role in ensuring a patient feels supported and confident in their treatment plan. 

Consider the points made about Informed Consent in the video below. 

Overall, a primary care practitioner’s duty in the event of a breast cancer diagnosis is one of support, comfort, and advocacy. In a troubling time, patients often trust the physician that has known them the longest. It’s important to be present for patients while leaning on the expertise of a team of specialists to ensure that your patient receives the best care possible. Whenever questions about risk and patient safety arise, you have OmniSure for advice on-demand in tough situations.