Team Approach
When you are faced with a claim or lawsuit, a team approach is the best approach. ISMIE draws on the resources of our professional liability analysts, expert defense counsel, Physician Review Committee (PRC), and you, our insured, to work together for the best possible outcome.
ISMIE Professional Liability Analyst
ISMIE's professional liability analysts will explain the process, gather information and organize your case. Every ISMIE professional liability analyst possesses a high level of professional knowledge in investigating and handling medical liability claims. Our staff consistently update their knowledge in the areas of law, medicine and the more subjective areas of how juries respond to testimony and delineate information. Your assigned analyst will make contact with you within 24 hours of notification to the Chicago office of a potential claim or lawsuit.
Expert Defense Representation
Your ISMIE appointed defense counsel is an expert in defending medical malpractice actions. We will work with you to determine the best defense attorney for your specific case. If you wish to be represented by a specific “approved” attorney, we make every attempt to honor that request. We understand that litigation is very personal, and our aim is to make you as comfortable and confident in your defense as possible.
Our claims management process focuses on understanding the legal marketplace in which our physicians practice. We consider ourselves local specialists, and this expertise has produced a successful track record. Less than 20 percent of our claims actually result in indemnity payments. (Eighty percent of the cases that are tried result in a verdict for the defense.)
Assisting in Your Own Defense
How you proceed when faced with a possible claim or lawsuit is critical to the outcome. If you have reasons to believe a claim may be filed, or if you have been formally named in a malpractice suit, you should immediately contact ISMIE’s Claim Division. Early reporting is critical for the effective defense of a claim because you and your defense team can quickly take appropriate steps. Our coverage is immediately triggered when you report a specific event that you believe may become a formal demand. The prompt reporting of an incident will strengthen your defense if a claim is filed later. Reports of incidents when no formal claim has been made are not taken into consideration in your insurance coverage. |
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Physician Review Committee
ISMIE will not settle a frivolous claim or suit simply to avoid the costs of litigation. ISMIE was founded on the belief that the best way to discourage unfounded malpractice suits is through vigorous, uncompromising defense.
To that end, ISMIE's Physician Review Committee (PRC) brings hands-on physician management, with cognitive and surgical expertise, to the review of claims and suits. The PRC is made up exclusively of physician policyholders. This is a unique aspect of your physician-managed insurer. Every case against an ISMIE insured is brought before PRC for a decision whether to settle or defend. In this manner, physician colleagues are intimately involved in the decision process. The sued physician is very much a part of the decision process. No claim is settled without the physician’s written consent.
While the majority of suits are considered defensible, PRC maintains the philosophy that when a medical malpractice suit is filed, not only is the named defendant being sued, but also the entire company. It is the responsibility of PRC to recommend which cases to attempt to settle and which to defend with no settlement offered.
With the expert input and experience of your colleagues on PRC, claims and suits are resolved in the best interests of our policyholders.
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