OMIC offers ophthalmic-specific risk management programs throughout the year to provide ophthalmologists with a working knowledge of current professional liability issues and practical risk management information. OMIC Policy holders may earn one risk management premium discount per policy year.

1) Each insured can attend a live OMIC activity, usually presented by OMIC's Risk Manager, at a conference sponsored by a state ophthalmic society or national ophthalmic organization.

2) Each OMIC insured can order a CD recording, free of charge, of an OMIC-sponsored live presentation (usually the OMIC Forum or nationwide audiocourse). Non-OMIC insureds may purchase a CD. Contact the OMIC Risk Management Department for more information.

3) Each insured can register for and complete one of OMIC's online courses which are available on the OMIC website. Contact the OMIC Risk Management Department for more information.

Amount of Risk Management Discount

All OMIC-sponsored risk management activities enable policyholders to obtain a 5% discount, which is applied upon renewal. OMIC insureds who are current member of a cooperative venture society are instead eligible for an additional discount if they participate in a co-sponsored OMIC risk management activity. Click here for a list of current cooperative ventures.

Below is a list of upcoming risk management programs. Please contact us at riskmanagement@omic.com or (800) 562-6642, ext. 652 if you have any questions or am interested in one of OMIC's audiotape programs.

Click here for online risk management education.

Risk Management Programs on CD

The following enduring materials are available free of charge to all OMIC insureds and offer a premium discount and continuing medical education credit:

• After-hours and Emergency Room Calls
  Few aspects of ophthalmic practice raise more questions and concerns than how to handle calls from patients and Emergency Room physicians after-hours. OMIC claims experience shows that there are significant risks for both patients and ophthalmologists if these communications are not dealt with skillfully. This recording from Fall 2006 will provide guidance on screening and documenting such calls, determining referral and follow-up duties, conducting patient "hand-offs," and complying with standard of care and EMTALA duties. Click here to download the order form.
  
  
• Lessons Learned from Settlements and Trials of 2006
  This new CD of our 2007 OMIC audiocourse features discussions about claims resulting from a “wrong” IOL, hemorrhage during blepharoplasty, and dry eye following co-managed LASIK surgery. After listening to this CD, ophthalmologists should be better able to implement protocols to correctly identify the patient, procedure, eye, laser settings, and IOL; recognize and prepare to manage patients at risk for hemorrhage during ophthalmic procedures; and detect and disclose preoperative conditions that may put the patient at increased risk for complications or side effects. Click here to download the order form.
  
  
• Lessons Learned from Settlements and Trials of 2005
  --This CD of OMIC’s 2006 nationwide audioconference uses an analysis of three cases to provide risk management guidance on coordinating care and follow-up on high-risk postoperative patients; minimizing failure to diagnose allegations; and monitoring patients on steroids for ongoing need, effectivenss, safety and compliance. Click here to download the order form.
  
  
• Lessons Learned from Settlements and Trials of 2004
  --This CD of OMIC’s 2005 nationwide audioconference uses an analysis of three cases to provide risk management guidance on how to obtain informed consent, document their decision-making process, rule out intraocular foreign bodies, determine the most appropriate location and anesthesia provider for patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery, and promote safe perioperative monitoring and discharge of patients at ambulatory surgery centers. Click here to download the order form.
  
  
• Medication Safety & Liability This CD recording of the 2007 OMIC Forum presented at the AAO Annual Meeting in New Orleans will provide ophthalmologists guidance on how to (1) obtain and document informed consent for medications with significant ocular and systemic side effects, (2) assess the risk-benefit ratio of continuing anticoagulation in the elective surgical setting, and (3) monitor patients for the risk of ocular and systemic side effects of steroids, regardless of the route of administration. Click here for CD order form.
  
  
• Patients who are lost to follow-up or are noncompliant jeopardize their own health and represent a significant liability risk for ophthalmologists. Using case scenarios, this 2006 OMIC Forum course will offer ophthalmologists guidance on how and when to follow-up with both new and established patients on test results, treatment recommendations, referrals, missed appointments, and Emergency Room/On-call consultations. Click here for CD order form.
  
  
• Responding to Unanticipated Outcomes
  --Dealing with unanticipated outcomes is one of the most difficult aspects of medical practice, especially if an error contributed to the result. While many physicians want to talk to their patients about adverse events, they may hesitate to do so for a variety of reasons. Some fear disclosing complications may prompt a lawsuit. Others may lack the communication skills necessary to respond to a patient’s anger and grief with compassion rather than defensiveness. When other health care providers or organizations are involved in a poor outcome, the ophthalmologist may feel conflicting loyalties or be concerned about the impact of a disclosure discussion on collegial relationships, referral patterns, or credentialing. Click here to order this 2004 CD where a physician, attorney, claims associate, and risk manager provide advice on responding to unanticipated outcomes.
  
  

Seminars Calendar