Liability Implications of Physician-Directed Care Coordination

The Article in Brief

Primary care doctors help coordinate and manage the care of their patients across different medical specialties and different types of treatment. Some doctors may be reluctant to take on expanded coordination of patient care for fear of increased exposure to medical liability. In fact, a representative sample of 1,238 practicing physicians found that almost one-half listed legal liability as 1 of the 2 main barriers to care coordination. In an article in this issue of the Annals, Hall and colleagues found no strong basis for these reservations; instead, they found that care coordination done well may lower liability risks. Liability insurers interviewed as part of the study were not reluctant to insure physicians who coordinate care for patients with multiple chronic conditions and did not have a strong tendency to view this role as having higher risk.