Managing Risks in Physician Practices: Clinical Management

Physician practices are exposed to many risks associated with provider activities. Risk managers responsible for physician practices face the challenges of controlling risks in nonhospital settings; physician practices are often in remote and geographically dispersed locations. Furthermore, office cultures differ, as do levels of risk management and patient safety knowledge, experience, and interest. This self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) is designed to aid the risk manager in meeting these challenges. Specifically, this SAQ addresses clinical management systems in physician practices.

Some portions of this SAQ will need to be addressed by the corporate or system risk manager. The practice manager at the physician office can address other sections. Once the SAQ is completed, a plan should be established for addressing the shortcomings that the SAQ reveals. Subsequently, the SAQ can be completed in...