PI Email Alert
Monday, March 16, 2020
What to tell worried patients about the virus
We are in the middle of a national crisis. More than ever we need all health care facilities fully functioning. 

Instruct worried patients your office is a safe zone and following best protection practices.

You may encounter questions from staff and patients. 

  • No authority is currently suggesting closing any health care facility. 
  • Those who exhibit symptoms or are in a high-risk group should be counseled to stay home and avoid unnecessary exposure to crowds.  
  • If you or any member of your staff show symptoms – insist on self-quarantine. 

Ten ideas to consider: 

  1. Take temperatures of all incoming patients [ and staff if possible ] each day;
  2. Anyone who has a high temperature and or shows signs of the potential virus are recommended to self-quarantine and get tested;
  3. Federal and state authorities are ramping up extensive drive-by testing. When it is available, everyone in encouraged to get tested;
  4. Place a notice on your office door that all surfaces in your clinic are regularly and thoroughly cleaned throughout the day;
  5. When a patient enters your office, make sure there is available hand sanitizer; 
  6. Remove several of your chairs in the reception room to assure appropriate social distancing; 
  7. Suggest your staff wear gloves—optional – if doctor should wear gloves and change with each visit or wash hands in front of the patient; 
  8. Try to spread out appointments to avoid crowded waiting rooms; 
  9. Reassure your patients that unless they are in the “high risk” group – elderly with co-morbidities—their risk is quite low. 
  10. Grocery stores are remaining open and restocking regularly. Counsel patients and staff to avoid panic buying and to purchase only what is necessary for the possibility of several weeks of quarantine. 
In This Issue...

-- Life West College's Dr. Dan Murphy's Favorite Study

-Is This Legal?

--ACE LIT Tip
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A Favorite Study for Dr. Dan Murphy Injuries to Belted Occupants
Dr. Dan offers Automobile Injury Trends best studies to his students and this audience.

This study included occupants aged 13 to 97 years with women and men who were involved in a crash in a head-on collision and restrained by a 3-point seat belt.

There are multiple takeaways. Murphy notes:

  • Seat belt injuries create higher incidents of thoracic spine injuries;
  • More extensive damage to the ribs;
  • Women tend to suffer greater injuries;  

To get the study contact johntawlian@shawnsteel.com.
ACE's Lit Tip
IF your patient is struck by a ‘commercial’ [ e.g. company owned] vehicle, the Public Utilities Commission requires those vehicles to carry $1,000,000 liability coverage. 

Is This Legal ?
Beware of this Scam
A TENS Unit company in Colorado is offering this deal to a local doctor.

“We pay doctors.” 

$250 for fitting, training, consultation and educating their patients with our TENS units. Our company will provide the product, the doctor will fit and train the patient, our company will bill the patient’s insurance and the doctor will receive the fitting fee for every TENS unit fitted. “ 

This sure smells like a kickback. 

See the Chiropractic Act Section 317 [t] .

Plus, it’s dangerous to give an outside company your patient’s insurance information. 

We thank Dr. Bea for bringing this to our attention. 

Let us know if you get a similar solicitation.
Whose Records?
Can a doctor demand the attorney sign a lien before he gives the attorney the patient’s records?

Unfortunately, no. Even if the attorney refuses to sign a lien, the doctor has a statutory duty to furnish all records of care if the attorney represents the patient and has a HIPAA authorization. 

The California Evidence Code Section 1158 makes the doctor liable for all expenses if they fail to make records available during business hours within five days after presentation of written authorization. 
SHAWN IS SPEAKING & You're Invited!

Cal Chiro Districts
Ethics & Law
2 mandate CE hours each

Long Beach - Wed. Mar. 18

Sacramento - Tues. Apr. 14

San Diego - Wed. May 13
Questions? Email johntawlian@shawnsteel.com

All doctors are welcome to join us!
HJ Ross Seminars


Get $25 off by using code: SHAWN

Click HERE for more dates & registration.
Edited by John Tawlian & Alexander C. Eisner, Designed by Lisa Kim Brown