Rightfield Solutions Joins with Pa. Insurer in Fight Against Rising Med-Mal Claims

An agreement announced recently by executives with Professional Casualty Association (PCA), a provider of insurance coverage to physicians in Pennsylvania, and Rightfield Solutions LLC, developers of Emmi, Expectation Management and Medical Information, will reportedly help PCA members lower the frequency and severity of medical malpractice claims while reducing premiums.

Through the agreement, PCA will pay the full cost of the Emmi program, through discounts or credits to the policy, for members who use Emmi, a Web-based risk management tool designed to educate patients on what to expect before, during and after surgical procedures.

“While everyone else keeps wringing their hands about how to solve
the malpractice crisis, PCA is committed to giving their members a
real solution for today,” said Jordan Dolin, CEO of Rightfield. “PCA
believes that even in Pennsylvania, one of the most volatile
malpractice markets in the United States, Web-based tools like Emmi
can help physicians improve the vital patient education and
communication process that can often mean the difference between a
satisfied patient and a malpractice suit.”

Emmi is a Web-based tool created to improve outcomes and reduce
malpractice claims by managing expectations and increasing knowledge for patients about to undergo certain surgical or invasive procedures, including colonoscopies, and obstetric/gynecological, plastic, cardiovascular, orthopedic and LASIK surgeries.

Emmi is also developing programs for primary care physicians and non-invasive procedures. According to Rightfield Solutions’ internal surveys, more than 90 percent of Emmi-educated patients surveyed were more comfortable about their surgery after viewing the interactive program.

Ensuring that patients understand what to expect before, during
and after surgeries is reportedly crucial to avoiding malpractice suits,
according to several national studies. The studies indicate that
patients whose expectations are managed experience greater
satisfaction with surgical outcomes and are less likely to initiate
malpractice lawsuits.

“Emmi is a perfect complement to other aggressive risk management
measures such as counter suits, that PCA has established to tackle the medical malpractice crisis,” said Tim McGuire, PCA’s risk management and claims operations manager. “We think fewer lawsuits will be filed against PCA insureds due, in part, to a better
understanding by the patient of what to expect and the physician’s
ability to spend more time building a better relationship with their
patient and less time answering basic questions about procedures.”

The medical malpractice crisis currently affects about two-thirds
of physicians in the United States, including Pennsylvania, where
several of the state’s top insurers have left the market and the
premiums of remaining insurers have skyrocketed. According to state
physician organizations, these rising premiums, combined with static
or declining reimbursements, have forced some physicians to retire
early or leave the state.

For an Emmi demo, visit www.emmidemo.com.