Strange Bedfellows to Convene Before CALTCM Annual Meeting

by Karl Steinberg, MD, CMD, HDMC

Over the years, a perennial favorite educational activity at CALTCM’s meetings has been medicolegal and risk management sessions—often presented in a mock trial format.  This year, by popular demand, CALTCM has created an evening half-day pre-conference summit focusing on medicolegal risk management, and the nexus connecting quality of care, communication and documentation with improved outcomes and reduced exposure to civil and regulatory actions, including elder abuse lawsuits.  It will also provide information about the importance of the expert witness, including physicians, to the legal process.

The Thursday, May 19 pre-conference session, entitled “Strange Bedfellows” because of the interprofessional nature of the content—including doctors, lawyers, nurse practitioners, administrators and the entire nursing home interdisciplinary team—will be convened in the evening beginning at 6 p.m. at the Omni Los Angeles, and will include dinner.   Accreditation for continuing education for CME, CMD, nursing CEU, NHAP and other disciplines will be provided. MCLE (legal) continuing education credit is pending.

Two separate case presentations by experienced elder abuse plaintiff and defense attorneys will be shared with attendees, and attendee participation with solicitation of best practices and strategies to improve care processes and decrease liability will be a major part of the session.  After discussion, specific points compiled by the expert panel will be shared. One case will involve an assisted fall with serious injury, while the other case revolves around use of antipsychotic medication and informed consent.

On the plaintiff side, well-known plaintiff attorneys Kim Valentine (of Valentine Law Group) and Bill Artigliere (of the Garcia Law firm) will pitch the arguments for elder abuse, sharing their pearls for what constitutes a meritorious case for them when meeting with clients.  On the defense side, perennial CALTCM speaker and AMDA columnist Bill Wilson (of the Wilson Getty firm) and Wendy Coulston (of LaFollette Johnson’s Orange County office) will defend these cases and impart their wisdom on what could and should have been done better to avoid these lawsuits.

Please plan to attend this important CALTCM event.  As many CALTCM members and other post-acute and long-term care providers know, being named in a lawsuit can be extremely stressful.  Come share your experience and space with these strange bedfellows, and leave with new information and strategies to avoid being in that situation.

More information and registration are available online at:

http://www.caltcm.org/precon-medicolegal-summit

http://www.caltcm.org/precon-best-practices-summit