View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2014/07/14/334513.htm
The MGIS Companies and Stevens & Lee have launched Surgi-Protect, a malpractice insurance program designed specifically for bariatric surgeons and their specific practices.
With more than 35 percent of Americans suffering from obesity, which was declared a disease by the American Medical Association in 2013, experts believe bariatric surgery programs will continue to mature and evolve to meet the need for treatment and intervention. This predicted growth in bariatric surgeries will necessitate a continued emphasis on safety and liability risk mitigation by bariatric surgeons.
According to Jeff Brunken, president of MGIS, bariatric surgeons don’t need a one-size-fits-all approach to insurance. The new Surgi-Protect program rewards top performing surgeons with the specialized coverage at a competitive price, helps them better manage their liability, and provides new strategies and programs to reduce risk and further improve patient outcomes.
As a key component of the insurance program, Surgi-Protect includes an advanced and highly specialized safety and risk management program which focuses on the patient experience, patient engagement principles, quality improvement protocols, and clinical best practices.
“Data clearly shows that patient satisfaction and clinical best practices effectively enhance surgical outcomes and reduce medical malpractice claims,” says Jim Saxton, chair of Stevens & Lee’s Healthcare Litigation and Risk Management Group.
Saxton says Surgi-Protect offers the opportunity for bariatric and general surgeons to receive the risk and safety support they need to prevent lawsuits, while receiving stable insurance.
MGIS’ medical-professional liability insurance policies are backed by Freedom Specialty Insurance Co., a Nationwide company.
The MGIS Companies, Inc. works with brokers, practice managers and other healthcare professionals to create effective and targeted malpractice and disability insurance programs for physicians and medical professionals. The company provides specialized group disability insurance, medical-professional liability insurance, and practice improvement ancillary products and services to more than 10,000 physician groups, 900,000 group members, and 300,000 physicians nationwide.
Stevens & Lee is part of Stevens & Lee/Griffin, an industry-focused, multidisciplinary professional services platform which, in addition to the law firm, includes a national health care risk consulting business. In combination with partner company SE Healthcare Quality Consulting, a national quality and safety company focused on surgical specialties, including general and bariatric surgery, our healthcare team provides clients with multidisciplinary expertise.