HOW DOES EMORY ASSESS THE MERITS OF A CASE AND DEVELOP ITS STRATEGY?
A. When a claim is asserted or a lawsuit is filed, the Office of Risk & Insurance Services will review the care provided to identify any possible breaches in the applicable standard of care. Emory physicians, with expertise in the relevant areas, may be asked to review the clinical aspects of the case. Most often this individual will be a Section Head in the relevant specialty. Expert reviewers not affiliated with Emory may also review the case and provide a formal opinion if the case proceeds to litigation. On a monthly basis, cases are presented to the Emory Healthcare Clinical Claims Review Working Group to obtain advice on the merits of individual cases, to develop defense strategies, and to obtain settlement authority when necessary. Strategy is further developed through consultation with the involved physician and defense counsel. Strategy will, of course, differ from case to case depending on the circumstances of each individual case.
