Our first episode, and the first in a series called Lessons From Litigation, join host Signe Monson from CoreMedSource, along with guests CoreMedSource CEO, Dr. Debra Shelby, PhD, DNP and Dr. Paul Rose, MD, as they delve into the critical dynamics of the collaborative relationship between physicians and advanced practice providers. This episode serves as a pivotal guide for navigating the complexities of legal risks in healthcare practices.

About Our Guests:

Dr. Debra Shelby brings over 30 years of experience as a board-certified PhD, DNP-prepared dermatology nurse practitioner, with a rich background in critical care, surgical, and plastic surgery nursing. Dr. Shelby has been offering her expertise as a legal consultant and expert witness since 2002.

Dr. Paul Rose, a board-certified dermatologist and hair restoration surgeon, has amassed over 30 years of medical experience, including emergency medicine. After obtaining his law degree in 2005, Dr. Rose has been leveraging his legal knowledge in providing consulting and expert witness services.

Episode Highlights:

The Rise of Paraprofessionals: The significant increase in the utilization of paraprofessionals within the medical field, such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners, and the legal considerations that accompany this trend.

Training, Scope of Practice, and Legal Implications: The varying training paths of physician assistants and nurse practitioners, the standardization of curriculum, and the resultant scope of practice. We explore how these factors can lead to legal challenges and the importance of clarity in roles and responsibilities.

Delegation, Supervision, and Documentation: The legalities surrounding the delegation of medical tasks, the necessity of proper supervision, and the critical role of accurate documentation and informed consent in mitigating legal risks.

Billing Practices and Legal Accountability: A key focus of the episode is on the intricacies of medical billing, specifically "incident-to" billing, and the legal obligations of advanced practice providers in ensuring compliant billing practices to avoid fraud and malpractice allegations.

Key Takeaways: This episode emphasizes the importance of understanding and adhering to legal requirements in the collaborative practice between physicians and advanced practice providers. It highlights the need for comprehensive training, proper delegation and supervision, meticulous documentation, informed consent, and ethical billing practices as fundamental elements to reducing litigation risks in healthcare.

Transcript: https://blog.coremedsource.com/podcast-recap-the-collaborative-physician-and-app-relationship/