Within Normal Limits: Navigating Medical Risks

Dr. Zacharias is joined by Dr. Dennis Boyle, a COPIC physician risk manager, and Dr. Donald J. Lefkowits, the current president of the Colorado Medical Board. Dr. Lefkowits talks about his journey from working in emergency medicine to becoming part of the Board’s leadership. He then walks through the types of complaints the Board receives and how they manage the process of addressing these. This includes recommendations for physicians who receive complaints, from using an attorney to help draft a response (a no-cost service available with COPIC’s coverage) to using a factual, non-emotional tone in your response to adhering to the 30-day timeframe. Dr. Lefkowits also talks about the issue of physician wellness and the assistance programs available to support providers dealing with challenges.

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https://dora.colorado.gov/

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Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Dr. Zacharias welcomes Dr. Alan Lembitz, COPIC’s chief medical officer, to talk about what we are seeing in terms of the medical liability issues that may come in the wake of COVID-19. Dr. Lembitz highlights what initial claims data and trends is telling us, and how, due to the “long-tail” of incident reporting, the full impact of COVID-19 will take some time to emerge and understand. The discussion also looks at public perception of the challenges medical providers faced during the pandemic, concerns over patients with non-COVID-19 conditions that held off on treatment because of fears of the virus, and the benefits and limitations of telehealth. In addition, Dr. Lembitz mentions the importance of documenting shared decision making with patients during this time to detail the factors that may have impacted patient care.  

Podcast Email: [email protected]

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

In this episode, we look at medical education with two representatives from Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC)—Lisa James, Executive Director of PPCC’s Foundation, and Amber Lippincott, Associate Dean of Nursing. Their discussion explores health care trends that are influencing student programs in nursing and other allied health professional fields. In particular, they highlight simulation technology to teach students evidence-based practices, and the benefits of using an advanced birthing simulation mannequins funded by a grant from the COPIC Medical Foundation. This allows students to develop essential clinical skills and practice labor/delivery scenarios in an environment that allows them to learn from their mistakes and develop teamwork, communication, and decision-making skills.

Podcast Email:  [email protected]

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Dr. Sue Sgambati, a colorectal surgeon and COPIC’s medical director, discusses the recent recommendation from the U.S Preventive Services Task Force that colorectal cancer screening routinely begin at age 45, instead of age 50. This recommendation is in response to the sharp rise in the number of colorectal cancers in young adults. Dr. Sgambati draws upon her own experience to talk about considerations when evaluating symptoms and whether or not to include a colonoscopy as part of a workup. She also highlights her perspective on colonoscopies versus additional tests for patients that can identify signs of cancer based on stool samples.  

Email: [email protected]

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Dr. Alan Lembitz joins us on this episode to talk about some of his key lessons learned over the years as COPIC’s chief medical officer. In particular, the conversation focuses on how and why COPIC developed its Practice Quality Reviews that help identify potential areas of risk. Dr. Lembitz discusses how claims data is distilled down to develop Level One Guidelines (best practices) about common areas where we see issues occur such as documentation, patient communication, and medication safety. He also highlights the importance of vital signs when care is reviewed and how physicians should view the terms “negligence” and “standard of care” from a medical liability perspective.

callcopic.com

Email: [email protected]

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

What is Candor? How does it benefit patients and providers? Dr. Zacharias is joined by Dr. Sue Sgambati, the medical director at COPIC, to answer these questions and provide some insight. In this context, Candor refers to a framework that emerged out of efforts by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to encourage an environment that supports open, honest conversations with patients after adverse outcomes occur. It is also designed to investigate and learn from what happened, to address the patients’ needs alongside providers’ needs, and to disseminate any lessons learned in order to improve future outcomes. Dr. Sgambati talks about how COPIC guides providers through Candor, especially In Colorado and Iowa where there is legislation that formalizes this process, and some of the key lessons learned from managing these types of cases. 

Podcast Email: [email protected]

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Dr. Jeff Varnell, a surgeon and COPIC physician risk manager, is the guest for this episode that focuses on addressing adverse outcomes through COPIC’s 3Rs and CANDOR Programs. Dr. Varnell has managed the 3Rs (Recognize, Respond, and Resolve) process and highlights its origins and goals of maintaining the physician-patient relationship and improving the quality of medical care. He also talks about how 3Rs and CANDOR try to move away from an adversarial approach to one that guides physicians through managing difficult patient conversations and using best practices for disclosure that includes open and honest conversations. In addition, Dr. Varnell points to the positive results that have emerged from 3Rs and how these benefit both patients and physicians.

Podcast email: [email protected]

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Dr. Zacharias welcomes Dr. Sophia Meharena, a pediatrician and member of COPIC’s Board of Directors, to talk about her personal journey into medicine and the transformative experience of doing her residency at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She also discusses her current role at a safety net clinic and highlights the value of integration that occurs with other specialists, health care navigators, and social services; along with her concerns about the pandemic’s impact on pediatric patients (i.e., social isolation, dietary health, financial constraints, etc.). In addition, Dr. Meharena talks about her involvement with the COPIC Medical Foundation and how its grant funding seeks to improve patient safety in measurable and meaningful ways such as support for simulation technology used for training medical providers.

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Resources from Episode

COPIC Medical Foundation

https://www.callcopic.com/about-copic/copic-medical-foundation  

Every Child Pediatrics

https://everychildpediatrics.org/

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Dr. Zacharias’s brother, Alan, is our guest, not just because he is related to our host, but because he is a neurologist and expert in cognitive impairment. The two discuss having patient conversations about memory issues associated with “normal aging” and differentiating these from possible early indicators of Alzheimer's disease. Alan then does a deep dive into diagnosing Alzheimer’s; the role of diet, physical activity, social engagement to improve functionality; and available treatments as well as potential new therapeutics on the horizon. Lastly, Eric finally learns the truth regarding his often used conjecture that there are no Grandmaster chess players over the age of 60.  

Breaking News: Benzo Black Box update 

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Link to Alzheimer's Association  https://www.alz.org/

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.

Coming off the holidays, this episode taps into Dr. Zacharias’s knowledge as a published author on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. In a conversation with Dr. Sue Sgambati, COPIC’s Medical Director, Dr. Zacharias talks about how a six-month sabbatical traveling across countries such as France, Italy, and Spain, enabled him to research how dietary habits can reduce coronary heart disease and optimize your health. The discussion focuses on the eight principle areas of the Mediterranean diet and how physicians can incorporate these into recommendations for patients that encourage healthy habits and still allow them to enjoy the “pleasure of eating.” 

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Links to things discussed in show: 

Book- https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9781461433255  

Seven Countries Study https://www.sevencountriesstudy.com/

International Foundation of Mediterranean Diet     https://www.ifmed.org/  

CDC Adult Obesity Maps  https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html   

Feedback or episode ideas email the show at [email protected]

Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation. Health care providers should exercise their professional judgment in connection with the provision of healthcare services. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be, nor is it, a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or judgment relative to a patient’s specific condition.