CAP Cares program to preserve doctor-patient relationship

Sep 15 2009

The Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) today announced that it has launched CAP Cares, a program created to help its physician members preserve the doctor-patient relationship in the wake of an adverse patient outcome.

CAP is encouraging its physician members to contact its 24-hour risk management hotline immediately after an incident that is either a known risk of medical care (a complication) or an injury caused by medical error. Triage staff will then route the call to a CAP Cares team member, experienced in this type of interventional assistance, who will provide the physician with information to help safeguard his or her relationship with that patient and manage potential risks.

"Studies show that if you are forthright with the patient from the beginning, you can save the doctor-patient relationship, benefiting everyone involved," says Jeff Stoner, senior vice president, claims and risk management services. "Not only will the new CAP Cares program help physician members alleviate the current situation, it will better prepare them to respond to unforeseen patient adversities in the future," Stoner concluded.

Dedicated CAP Cares risk management specialists provide physicians with around-the-clock personal guidance in such areas as fact gathering, analyzing the adverse outcome, anticipating and preparing for the conversation with the patient and family, and coordinating discussions with appropriate hospital personnel and other involved providers.