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Malpractice Insurance

EXPERT ADVICE
SOUTH FLORIDA’S

Medical Directorships, IMEs and
#1 HOSPITAL Expert Witnesses Not Covered

FIVE YEARS IN A ROW Through Med Mal Insurance

BY VANESSA ORR brought in to perform
and complete an inde-
When it comes to medical pendent medical exam,”
malpractice policies, what he added. “They give
you don’t know can hurt you. that report to whomever
While many doctors think is paying for it, often an
that they are covered for insurance company. And
most everything through a while a lot of doctors are
typical malpractice policy, doing these and it’s a
there are a number of quite nice source of income,
common items that are not they aren’t considering
included. that they are often not
“There are three big cate- Matt Gracey covered through their
gories that keep me up at normal malpractice
night worrying about doctors having insurance.”
claims and not realizing that they have As more doctors are asked to serve as
absolutely no coverage for them,” said expert witnesses, it’s important that
Matt Gracey, managing director, Risk they—and the practices for which they
Strategies / Danna-Gracey. “While they work—are also aware of the risks.
may be licensed to take part in certain “I’ve watched this category grow
business enterprises—including medical immensely in my 25 years of helping
directorships, independent medical doctors, and for the most part, doctors
examinations (IMEs) and expert witness are doing it on the side, even when they
work—these are not covered through are involved with bigger group prac-
typical malpractice insurance.” tices,” said Gracey. “They may assume
With more and more physicians being that they are covered through that prac-
asked to become medical directors of tice’s malpractice insurance, but God for-
medi-spas, cosmetic clinics, sleep study bid there is a claim, and they realize that
institutes and more, it’s important that there is no coverage.
they have the proper coverage. “As an insurance expert, I always tell
“I advise doctors to first look to the group administrators to let their doctors
group that’s asking them to be a medical know in no uncertain terms that if they
director to get the coverage from their are moonlighting or doing work on the
insurer; that’s the cleanest way to do it,” side, that they are not covered by their
said Gracey. “If that comes back as a ‘no,’ group policy and need to seek coverage
they can find a stand-alone policy to elsewhere,” he added.
cover them.” If a facility or group will not provide
Gracey notes that the one exception to coverage for these activities, there are
coverage is if a doctor is the medical stand-alone policies that doctors can pur-
FOR EVERY CARE IN THE WORLD director of his or her own practice or lab chase to make sure that they are protect-
or in-office surgical suite, in which case ed.
they often would be covered through “Because there’s fairly low-risk in these
Nothing compares to being healthy and feeling good. their own malpractice insurance policy. three categories, stand-alone policies are
Doctors who perform independent not terribly expensive,” said Gracey, not-
At Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Weston Hospital, we are medical examinations or who serve as ing that most of these policies are written
here for you and your loved ones, providing for every expert witnesses in court also need to in the ‘excess and surplus lines’ sector of
have additional protection. the insurance world, which is not gov-
healthcare need you have today and conducting research
“While doctors are licensed to perform erned or regulated by the Department of
to advance the medicine of tomorrow. As South Florida’s independent medical exams, which they Insurance in each state as heavily as typ-
only hospital ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report often do at their own practice locations, ical malpractice insurance.
they are not covered for these procedures “It’s a common gap in insurance, and it
five years in a row, we’re proud of the care we deliver. through standard medical malpractice just takes some communication with

For routine checkups. For life-enhancing treatments. insurance,” said Gracey, noting that IMEs your agent or broker to make sure that
are mostly performed as a corporate there’s no gap there,” said Gracey.
For every care in the world.
demand.
“For example, if a person has a car For more information, contact Matt
accident, and there is a dispute about the Gracey at (800) 966-2120 or visit
#1 HOSPITAL IN SOUTH FLORIDA patient’s condition, a doctor will be www.dannagracey.com.

5 YEARS IN A ROW

NATIONALLY RANKED IN
GI AND GI SURGERY

4 September 2022 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News