Understanding the Need for Hospital Professional Liability Insurance issues associated with hospitals are vast. With the responsibility of so many people's lives at stake, even one misstep could cost more than just money. Hospitals must be able to train their staff safe practices, and hire the most qualified employees that are available. When mistakes or errors occur in a hospital setting, these issues are magnified, often displayed on local or national news. In order to keep the staff as well as the business safe, hospital Professional Liability (HPL) insurance is crucial.What professional liability insurance covers
An HPL policy is typically issued along with a general commercial liability policy. This ensures that the company has coverage for situations that fall in between the two policies. HPL provides the hospital administration, employees and volunteers protection for liability issues that may arise based on the services provided.
In addition, the policy covers other situations for which the business may be held liable for, such as the theft of a patent's property. It goes a long way towards addressing the unique challenges that many health care facilities face.
Categories of negligence that result in nursing malpractice lawsuits:
Failure to follow standards of care (i.e. following a physician's verbal or written orders)
Failure to assess and monitor, as in a patent's ongoing progress
Failure to act as a patient advocate (by providing a safe environment)
Failure to use equipment in a responsible manner (such as checking equipment for safety prior to use)
Failure to communicate effectively with a patient, and
Failure to document, including failure to note in the patent's medical record
These are all examples of situations where malpractice cases could result when a nurse, caring for a patient, makes a significant error.
Who needs the coverage?
As a business that provides medical care to patients, the need for insurance to keep the facility protected is both necessary and vital. The policy generally covers those that perform work, as an employee, or even as a volunteer for the facility. Without this, the company would be left to pay for the expense of claims on its own. In the event that a significant injury occurs to a patient, the cost could be crippling to the operation of the facility.
More information is available
There is much more to learn about this policy and how it can keep an organization safe from the myriad of risks and exposures routinely faced on a daily basis. Hospital Professional Liability Insurance is an important way to prevent a significant loss. There is plenty of information available on the web.
