Medical risk management groups collect and interpret data about unwanted outcomes from healthcare practice. They spend time and resources documenting the circumstances under which problems occur, applying statistical methods to reveal the frequency of occurrence and putting programs into place to improve the quality of healthcare in the future.

Medical risk management organizations (MMROs) provide a framework for evaluating risk and thereby lowering the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome of a healthcare interaction. Three groups feel the benefit of their services:

1. Healthcare professionals and institutions whose reputation and financial stability are at stake through potential negative publicity and malpractice lawsuits.
2. The patient, whose optimal quality of life is enhanced by good health care; a good healthcare risk management society ultimately works for the good of the patient.
3. Indirectly, the public at large; maintaining trust in medicine is the basis for a good working partnership and compliance with medical advice.

MMROs vary broadly, so educating yourself about medical risk management will help you choose wisely for your purposes.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start by expanding your knowledge of medical risk management groups

Research the benefits of joining a healthcare risk management association. A good society of healthcare risk managers will offer in-depth resources for those in the field.

I recommend: The American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) is the largest society of healthcare risk management, and is affiliated with the American Hospital Association (AHA), which also offers risk management webcasts. The offerings are broadly based, offering educational resources, including online courses about the basics of healthcare risk financing, insurance, confidentiality (including HIPAA compliance) and patient privacy. The benefits of membership are considerable, including a job list and reduced prices on sponsored educational activities. The affiliated ASHRM Foundation funds education, scholarships and research programs.

A society of healthcare risk managers often produces helpful publications

Getting a broader perspective on risk management is a wise idea; this means spending some money and doing some additional research.

I recommend: Health Affairs, a quarterly journal, has published excellent articles that provide context on health care issues in general, and includes some that apply directly to issues of malpractice and patient communication. Access to abstracts is free, but articles must be purchased if you aren't a subscriber. However, timely topics are covered in an editorial blog, with commentary by readers. Risk Management Newsletter is published by Mag Mutual is also helpful.

Become familiar with reputable medical risk management councils and firms

Research different councils and firms before making a final choice.

I recommend: ACE Medical Risk is broadly based, and is a global malpractice insurance program. They offer customized risk management services, and stress collaboration with clients. Their website links to a wide range of information sources. Medical Risk Management, LLC is a medical risk management consulting firm that custom designs and implements "systematic risk management programs for physician groups, hospitals, insurance carriers, and captives." They offer educational products, for example, CME Educational Modules, and have developed a concept called Progressive Peer Review that works with "actual related case studies representative of system gaps or lapses that result in medical malpractice claims."

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for an association of healthcare risk managers who have individuals that are certified by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians.