Demonstrate your understanding of the responsibility of a health care organization in establishing a risk management program that addresses liability and malpractice.
Assume your organization will begin offering synchronous telemedicine services and you have been asked to present information about incorporating an enterprise risk management program that mitigates risks and provides strategies for operational (credentialing, standard of care, and documentation) clinical/patient safety, financial, and legal/regulatory (HIPAA, HITECH, CMS), state-specific regulations, and technology.
Write a 750-1,000-word report to the administrative team that:
• Describes how the risk management program will address areas of concern over operational, clinical/patient safety, financial, legal/regulatory, and state-specific regulations, as well as technology.
• Explains the risk for potential liability and malpractice upon the provider or organization if policies and procedures do not address identified risk concerns.
The Role of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) in Telemedicine
An ERM program shifts the organization's focus from merely reacting to incidents to proactively managing strategic threats across the entire enterprise. For telemedicine, this means integrating risk assessment into every step of the service line, from technology procurement to clinical documentation, to ensure that quality and compliance are "designed in" rather than added later.
1. Operational Risk Mitigation Strategies
Operational risks involve the day-to-day processes of delivering care, particularly around workforce management and clinical standards.
Sample Answer
Enterprise Risk Management Strategy for Synchronous Telemedicine Services
To: Administrative Leadership Team From: [Your Name/Risk Management Department] Date: October 14, 2025 Subject: Implementing an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Program to Mitigate Liability and Ensure Compliance for New Synchronous Telemedicine Services (750-1,000 Words)
Executive Summary
The initiation of synchronous (live, two-way audio/video) telemedicine services represents a critical expansion of our care delivery model, promising enhanced patient access and operational efficiency. However, this expansion introduces novel and complex risks spanning operational, clinical, financial, legal, and technological domains. This report outlines an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program designed to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate these risks. Failure to establish robust policies in these areas exposes both the organization and its providers to significant legal liability, regulatory penalties (e.g., HIPAA fines), and catastrophic financial loss.