When you purchased your medical professional liability insurance, you transferred the risk of monetary loss to your company, Healthcare Underwriters Group Mutal of Ohio.  It has been shown by past experience that monetary loss can be reduced when identified risks are controlled by proven risk management methods.

As part of your insurance purchase, you agreed to assist in risk reduction by implementing reasonable risk management principles in your practice.  HUOH agreed to assist you in that implementation and will do so by way of a newsletter (HUOH's Risk Management PERSPECTIVES), on-site evaluations when necessary, risk management seminars, and on-call availability for acute situations where advice may be helpful to prevent a risk occurrence. (Theresa Zimmerman, J.D., RN - Vice President of Risk Management (866) 431-0200).

Q. How often will I receive the newsletter "PERSPECTIVES"?

A. PERSPECTIVES will be sent quarterly to all insureds. The newsletter includes selected medical abstracts with generally new information that we believe may represent evolving standards of medical care necessary for our insureds to know and evaluate.
                                     
Q. How often will there be Risk Management seminars?

A. Seminars are planned for three to four locations in Ohio each year, and generally will be presented during the Summer and Fall.  Check our schedules and watch for mail-out notices several weeks in advance of each presentation.

Q. How do I arrange for an on-site evaluation and how is it deemed “necessary”?
    
A. Contact Theresa Zimmerman at (866) 431-0200 to make your request and to discuss your reasons for believing such an evaluation would be necessary.   Ms. Zimmerman will review your situation with you during your initial conversation and together you will decide whether an on-site visit is the most productive resolution.

Q. When you say Theresa Zimmerman is available "on-call" what do you mean?

A. Anytime you have a situation in which there are conflicting administrative issues potentially interferring with the care of your patient, please contact Ms. Zimmerman either via phone (866-431-0200) or email (tzimmerman@hugroups.com). Ms. Zimmerman monitors her phone and email and will respond immediately during regular waking hours (7:00 am to 10:00 pm). HUOH's risk management approach is to be as pro-active as possible. We would prefer to assist you with a perceived or real risk as soon as possible, rather than waiting until you have to notify our Claims Department of an issue as required by your contract of coverage.  

Q. What if I have a general question about office procedure or clinical policies/procedures?

A. Contact Ms. Zimmerman either via email (tzimmerman@hugroups.com) or phone (866-431-0200). Depending on the nature of the issue, Ms. Zimmerman will provide oral advice immediately, or, if requested, will respond via a written Risk Management Opinion. If it is determinied that the Risk Management Opinion has broad application, it will be posted on the HUOH website for the benefit of other HUOH indureds.

Q. Is there any additional charge for these Risk Management services?

A. HUOH provides Risk Management Seminars, Perspectives, and Risk Management Consultation without charge. Decisions regarding charges for other services (such as onsite risk assessments, office staff risk management education prgrams, etc.) will be made on and individual basis depending on the nature of the request.

Q. How can I demonstrate risk management compliance?

A. By reading the newsletter, attending the seminars, and keeping in contact with Ms.Zimmerman for acute administrative matters.  Lack of claims or threats of claims will prove to you and us that you are practicing effective risk management. Should we perform an on-site evaluation, follow-up will be required to determine appropriate compliance.

Q. How can I clarify what I consider to be "risks" which may not have been addressed in the newsletter or seminars?
 
A. Call Ms. Zimmerman at (866) 431-0200 or email at tzimmerman@hugroups.com.

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