Risk Management Recommendations
Welcome to OMIC’s Recommendations library, a collection of loss prevention and patient safety guides for ophthalmologists and their practices. Contact riskmanagement@omic.com with questions.
Found
44
resources.
Nov 20, 2024
| Recommendation
Due to the healthcare shortage of physicians and the increasing aging population, Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) such as Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are considered as options to fill the void. There are liability risks to consider when employing APPs.
Apr 13, 2021
| Recommendation
The guidance included in this document regarding advertising will help ophthalmologists reduce their liability exposure, comply with underwriting requirements, and avoid uninsured risk.
Mar 8, 2014
| Recommendation
Medical malpractice lawsuits for negligent treatment of amblyopia are infrequent, but the risk to the pediatric patient’s vision is severe. If not treated appropriately by age nine, the child can have permanent vision loss.
Aug 29, 2024
| Recommendation
This resource was developed using the framework of the Medicare Conditions of Coverage Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requirements for ASCs.
Jun 12, 2024
| Recommendation
There are numerous factors to consider when assessing potential anesthesia liability during elective procedures.
Feb 21, 2023
| Recommendation
This risk management document presents suggestions to increase patient safety and decrease the likelihood of lawsuits related to these drugs. It also provides information about our sample consent documents for anti-VEGF agents.
Aug 13, 2020
| Recommendation
Cosmetic Botox and filler injections are frequently administered in ophthalmology practices. This resource guides to enhance patient safety and reduce the physician’s liability exposure.
Jan 20, 2025
| Recommendation
The following guidance is based on the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) Preferred Practice Pattern (PPP) Guidelines focused on risk management mitigation strategies to reduce your liability exposures. This is not an all-inclusive summary and we recommend you read the entirety of the AAO PPP and the resources listed for additional guidance.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Ophthalmologists may collaborate in the management of surgical patients with a comanagement or transfer of care arrangement with optometrists within or outside their practice. There are patient safety and liability risks associated with surgical comanagement and transfer of care.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Optometrists are independent practitioners, but there are differences in education and legal scope of practice between eye physicians/surgeons and ODs.
Oct 23, 2020
| Recommendation
Dilating drops are used on countless patients daily during diagnostic examinations and surgical procedures. Understand the patient safety and liability risks associated with them.
Aug 9, 2024
| Recommendation
Disclosure of an adverse event or unanticipated outcome is important for patient safety, patient trust, patient right to autonomy to make decisions about treatment, continuity of care among providers, and to provide empathy.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Inadequate or improper documentation in medical records can lead to significant risks, including legal liability, compromised patient care, regulatory non-compliance, and financial penalties.
Feb 27, 2020
| Recommendation
Physicians may treat their employees and should be aware there are patient safety and professional liability risks if the physician does not provide medical care in the same manner as any other patient.
May 6, 2024
| Recommendation
The Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) was enacted by Congress in 1986 to ensure public access to emergency services regardless of ability to pay, insurance status, national origin, race, creed, or color.
Jan 20, 2025
| Recommendation
Ophthalmology practices can take steps to mitigate risk factors for patient falls in their clinics.
Jul 13, 2017
| Recommendation
Here are some risk management recommendations to help you and your staff members prevent and better respond to the risks of the procedure. Issues addressed in Fluorescein Angiography Recommendations and Consent include delegation of tasks, informed consent, emergency response equipment, and management of complications.
Jun 12, 2017
| Recommendation
Ophthalmologists and their staff often provide free vision screening examinations. We feel that the very low risk of liability from these exams can be further minimized by taking a few steps.
Jul 8, 2022
| Recommendation
OMIC offers the following tools to help ophthalmologists strengthen their diagnostic and patient management process for GCA.
Aug 16, 2022
| Recommendation
This document explores aspects of the diagnostic process and offers risk management recommendations to help ophthalmologists reach better outcomes relative to GCA.
Jan 8, 2021
| Recommendation
Anticoagulation management of patients undergoing ophthalmic procedures has become increasingly challenging as the population ages and new antithrombotic agents come into use. OMIC claims data indicates that ophthalmologists who do not properly screen patients for bleeding risks and manage hemorrhage when it occurs often face malpractice lawsuits. By taking the steps discussed in this article, ophthalmologists can protect their patients and reduce the likelihood of a malpractice lawsuit.
May 6, 2024
| Recommendation
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules protect the privacy and security of health information and give patients rights to their health information.
Jan 20, 2025
| Recommendation
Informed consent is a process that includes both a physician discussion with the patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives AND a signature on a consent form.
Jun 17, 2024
| Recommendation
Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP), hearing impairments, or vision issues may require communication and language assistance to ensure comprehension, proper informed consent, and legal compliance.
Aug 4, 2020
| Recommendation
Ophthalmologists have contacted OMIC to inquire about the medicolegal consequences of “off-label” use of these drugs.
May 21, 2025
| Recommendation
Improve patient safety and reduce risk by following our preoperative guidelines for patients undergoing cataract surgery with light adjustable lenses (LAL). Post-operative LAL adjustments may be performed by optometrists provided they follow our OMIC coverage requirements.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Physicians leave practices for various reasons, including retirement, resignation, illness, or death. It is important to notify patients sufficiently in advance of the departure, unless the event is sudden and unexpected, to avoid an abandonment allegation and promote continuity of care for patient safety and risk mitigation.
Nov 20, 2024
| Recommendation
For an informed consent discussion to be valid and appropriate, the patient must have the capacity to make medical decisions. If cognitive impairments are present , the patient's capacity to consent should be evaluated.
Aug 9, 2024
| Recommendation
Medical record retention policies and procedures should be developed to comply with state and federal laws, provide patient access, ensure continuity of care, and protect against legal or regulatory actions.
Jan 20, 2025
| Recommendation
Patient noncompliance or nonadherence to treatment recommendations can result in patient safety concerns and potential liability risks for the physician and practice. This noncompliance toolkit discusses the issues and provides sample letters.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Office-based surgery is typically regulated at the state level; therefore, it is important to be familiar with the rules and regulations of your state before conducting office-based surgery.
Nov 2, 2020
| Recommendation
This analysis provides information to guide decision making about the preoperative medical assessment.
Oct 5, 2022
| Recommendation
Refractive surgery risk concerns include indications for surgery, patient selection, preoperative evaluation, off-label use, informed consent process, and immediate sequential bilateral surgery.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Patients may request refunds or waivers of payment responsibilities for various reasons, such as dissatisfaction with treatment, complications, or financial difficulties. In response, practices might decide to issue refunds or waive payments as a strategy to mitigate risks associated with dissatisfied patients or to address patient demands.
Oct 23, 2020
| Recommendation
From a risk management and patient safety perspective, if you are not sure if what you are doing constitutes research, or if there is any element of research in the procedure or practice, you should consult with your local Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Apr 1, 2022
| Recommendation
This ROP Safety Net Toolkit addresses hospital-based ROP care when treatment will be provided elsewhere. It contains sample protocols, which may need to be customized, and refers to ROP clinical care guidelines.
Apr 1, 2022
| Recommendation
This ROP Safety Net Toolkit addresses screening and treatment in the hospital. It contains sample protocols, which may need to be customized, and refers to ROP clinical care guidelines.
Apr 1, 2022
| Recommendation
This ROP Safety Net Toolkit addresses ROP care provided on an outpatient basis. It contains sample protocols, which may need to be customized, and refers to ROP clinical care guidelines.
Aug 15, 2018
| Recommendation
This document will present the obstacles to safe ROP care, OMIC's ROP claims experience, and our risk management recommendations.
Jan 1, 2023
| Recommendation
OMIC first developed and distributed ROP Safety Net protocols in 2006. Our experience in helping ophthalmologists implement these patient safety measures has convinced us that liability for ROP care can only be decreased if ophthalmologists work closely with neonatologists, nurses in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), hospitals, and parents. We accordingly developed sample protocols—our ROP Safety Net Toolkit—for both office- and hospital-based care.
Mar 10, 2022
| Recommendation
Concerns about IVAV both as primary or salvage therapy have been addressed in the literature and at eye society meetings. In addition, many questions are currently being studied and debated. Despite these uncertainties, when faced with aggressive or refractive ROP, ophthalmologists at times feel there is no other prudent choice but to treat ROP with IVAV. This document will address those concerns, and provide risk management recommendations specific to the use of anti-VEGF agents “off-label” for the treatment of ROP.
Jun 4, 2025
| Recommendation
Each day, countless patients call their ophthalmologist to report problems and seek advice. This telephone screening toolkit will provide guidance on how to ensure safe telephone care during the day and after office hours.
Jan 20, 2025
| Recommendation
Physicians may decide to terminate the physician-patient relationship due to inappropriate behavior, noncompliance, or nonpayment. Termination should be a last resort, and attempts should be made to rehabilitate the relationship if possible. This resource provides guidance and sample letters.
May 6, 2024
| Recommendation
Instituting a time-out process is known to increase patient safety by reducing wrong site, wrong procedure, wrong medication, and wrong patient errors.