Liability

[DocBallerina]

Hi all,
I am asking for help with regard to liability, and any information would be greatly appreciated. A few of my classmates and I had been seeing a gentleman in his assisted living facility, working on general mobility things. Previously we had been working under the license of one of our professors, but now that is not the case.
One of my classmates communicated this to the facility, and we are now not allowed to work with him due to lack of liability...in case something happens. This gentleman is absolutely wonderful and really wants us to come work with him, and I don't want to desert him. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get around this? Apparently volunteering through the facility doesn't work.
Thank you in advance!!!!

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[Azimuthal]

Buy liability insurance? That won't work, however, if the facility policy is to alleviate unnecessary liability issues. No matter how insignificant the risks may seem.

 

[jesspt]

Hi all,
I am asking for help with regard to liability, and any information would be greatly appreciated. A few of my classmates and I had been seeing a gentleman in his assisted living facility, working on general mobility things. Previously we had been working under the license of one of our professors, but now that is not the case.
One of my classmates communicated this to the facility, and we are now not allowed to work with him due to lack of liability...in case something happens. This gentleman is absolutely wonderful and really wants us to come work with him, and I don't want to desert him. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get around this? Apparently volunteering through the facility doesn't work.
Thank you in advance!!!!

Wait a minute. Were you initally treating this patient as part of you graduate coursework and therefor under the auspices of your professor? How is this not still the case? And if it is not longer part of your course work, why are you still seeing him?

If you're treating him for mobility issues and it is no longer part of your course work, you're setting yourself up for a potential liability issue. You're not covered under the facility's malpractice/liability policy and you don't have one of your own. If you're not yet a licensed PT (which it sounds like you're not), you can''t get your own liability policy. If this is true, get out of there. Appologize to the patient and get out. It sounds like you are letting the fact that you are fond of this patient cloud your judgement.

 

[ptootles]

Wait a minute. Were you initally treating this patient as part of you graduate coursework and therefor under the auspices of your professor? How is this not still the case? And if it is not longer part of your course work, why are you still seeing him?

If you're treating him for mobility issues and it is no longer part of your course work, you're setting yourself up for a potential liability issue. You're not covered under the facility's malpractice/liability policy and you don't have one of your own. If you're not yet a licensed PT (which it sounds like you're not), you can''t get your own liability policy. If this is true, get out of there. Appologize to the patient and get out. It sounds like you are letting the fact that you are fond of this patient cloud your judgement.

Jess, just one thing and it's slightly off topic: you mention that if this person is not a licensed PT, they cannot get a liability policy. I am a 2nd year DPT student and our program requres professional liability insurance for admission... perhaps that liability/malpractice insurance is different from what you're thinking because it's for students?

 

[jesspt]

Jess, just one thing and it's slightly off topic: you mention that if this person is not a licensed PT, they cannot get a liability policy. I am a 2nd year DPT student and our program requres professional liability insurance for admission... perhaps that liability/malpractice insurance is different from what you're thinking because it's for students?

Possible. Every policy I have ever had has asked for my license number, so I guess I assumed that one needed to be a licensed provider. You know what they say about assumptions....🙂

 

[atstudent]

Jess, just one thing and it's slightly off topic: you mention that if this person is not a licensed PT, they cannot get a liability policy. I am a 2nd year DPT student and our program requres professional liability insurance for admission... perhaps that liability/malpractice insurance is different from what you're thinking because it's for students?

You're also paying a ton less for yours compared to a licensed individual. For example, I paid $29.50 a year while I was a student, but once I got licensed as an athletic trainer, I pay $220 a year.

As a student, you had better be supervised by a licensed PT or you are setting yourself up for trouble. And even if you have professional liability insurance as a student, without that PT your insurance probably will deny anything..

 

[ptootles]

You're also paying a ton less for yours compared to a licensed individual. For example, I paid $29.50 a year while I was a student, but once I got licensed as an athletic trainer, I pay $220 a year.

As a student, you had better be supervised by a licensed PT or you are setting yourself up for trouble. And even if you have professional liability insurance as a student, without that PT your insurance probably will deny anything..

Totally agree.... in fact, my policty specifically states "Physical Therapy Student" and it's understood we only work under a licensed PT's supervision. I was just pointing out that PT students can get (and in some cases are required to have) liability insurance and not suggesting that the OP could cover themselves in the situation she/he describes above by obtaining such student insurance.

 

[DocBallerina]

Yep, 2nd year PT student. We used to work under the license of one of our professors as a community outreach program, but they recently started one as part of our curriculum, so pulled their license from this project. We're not currently seeing him because once the issue was discovered, we had to stop.
But yes, my fondness of him plays a part in this ordeal. As we're not currently seeing him, nothing is being done that is illegal; however, I am trying to find ways that I CAN.
Thanks so far!!!!

 

[jesspt]

Yep, 2nd year PT student. We used to work under the license of one of our professors as a community outreach program, but they recently started one as part of our curriculum, so pulled their license from this project. We're not currently seeing him because once the issue was discovered, we had to stop.
But yes, my fondness of him plays a part in this ordeal. As we're not currently seeing him, nothing is being done that is illegal; however, I am trying to find ways that I CAN.
Thanks so far!!!!

Wnhy not just refer him to a licensed PT? Do some research, find a PT that you feel would be a good fit for this person, and let them treat him.