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We have received several calls at Trust Risk Management Services (TRMS) about managing the risk of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in your practice, place of work, and in the professional services you provide. As risk managers, we are providing general risk guidance based on current knowledge and conditions. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide medical advice.


Dr. Jana Martin, CEO of The Trust, joins Dr. Graham Taylor to address ethics and considerations around the medium of video conferencing and how that can affect your patients and practice. They look further into the recent explosion in telehealth and how it can allow practitioners to extend their services and provide patients greater access to treatment.

The Trust Board recognizes and acknowledges members of our Board, staff, community and policy holders who have been impacted in personal ways by the recent spate of horrific murders of Black people, including Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery and many others named and unnamed. These acts of racial violence, anti-Blackness, and institutional racism have a long history and are deeply embedded in our society and disproportionately impact communities of color.


The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted all of us. This includes Audiologists and their offices. There are significant differences in how each practice may be operating depending on the location. Most states have implemented emergency orders, such as stay-at-home orders, whereas some have not. Some states have implemented orders allowing only businesses deemed essential to be open, and the definition of “essential” may vary widely depending on the state. There is a state-by-state compilation of emergency orders which can be accessed online and may be of use as you navigate through these rapidly evolving regulations.


Kristen Lambert, JD, MSW, LICSW, CPHRM, FASHRM, Healthcare Practice and Risk Management Innovation Officer, recently co-authored the first of a three-part white paper series for the American Hospital Association (AHA) and American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM) entitled: Behavioral Healthcare in the Ambulatory Care/Outpatient Setting. This is a cutting edge series that focuses on behavioral health in various segments of healthcare. This is a valuable resource for allied healthcare professionals and psychologists and focuses on applicable laws, regulations, and risk management considerations when working with individuals who have behavioral health issues. Click here to view whitepaper.


If you have been practicing in the Allied Healthcare space for years or are a new practitioner, you likely have heard the saying, “If it wasn’t documented, it wasn’t done.” This may have been taught in your training to enter your profession. Proper documentation is not as clear-cut as this statement, however. Documentation is critical, but there are also times when certain observations or occurrences may not be memorialized when documenting in an electronic medical record (EMR) or in written format.


Congratulations on graduating and entering the Allied Health profession! There are many issues you may not have learned about while in school. This risk management resource discusses: the type of employment arrangement you may have with your new position, what to consider if being presented with a contract for employment, and considerations if planning to open your own business or practice.


The purpose of this article is to acquaint Early Career Psychologists and those who may be confused about insurance with an important issue to consider when shopping for professional liability coverage: What type of insurance should you buy?. There are two basic types of professional liability insurance policies - "occurrence" and "claims-made" coverage. Purchasing insurance is a business decision and it is important to know what type of policy best fits your business needs.


Professional liability insurance (also called malpractice insurance) is coverage that protects a qualified professional against claims alleging negligent acts, errors, or omissions in the performance of providing professional services (defined as those services for which one is certified, licensed, accredited, trained, being trained, or otherwise qualified to provide as specified in a given insurance policy).


NOTE: This information is provided as a risk management resource and is not legal advice or an individualized personal consultation. At the time this resource was prepared, all information was as current and accurate as possible; however, regulations, laws, or prevailing professional practice standards may have changed since the posting or recording of this resource. Accordingly, it is your responsibility to confirm whether regulatory or legal issues that are relevant to you have since been updated and/or to consult with your professional advisors or legal counsel for timely guidance specific to your situation. As with all professional use of material, please explicitly cite The Trust Companies as the source if you reproduce or distribute any portion of these resources. Reproduction or distribution of this resource without the express written permission of The Trust Companies is strictly prohibited.