MEMORIAL HEALTH: Long Beach System Will Give Discounts To Docs Who Follow Guidelines
Long Beach-based Memorial Health Services is negotiating with its insurer, MMI, to obtain malpractice insurance discounts for "staff doctors who follow clinical practice guidelines." Modern Healthcare reports that the 1,200 doctors at the system's four hospitals would get a 20% discount -- about $4,000 in average savings -- if they agreed to follow the guidelines. Memorial President and CEO Thomas Collins said, "If we can wire all treatments into certain protocols, there are no horrible (mistakes), and the course of treatment is legally defensible. That's the cornerstone of underwriting." Rick Becker, chair of MMI, said the rules "give us a little more confidence from a rate-making standpoint" (Shinkman, 6/15 issue).
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