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Ursa Health : Introduction

URSA Health EDLC: Introduction

$20.00

This course bridges the critical knowledge gap between emergency medicine and legal understanding, equipping practitioners with essential medical-legal insights. It covers fundamental legal concepts tailored to emergency and urgent care settings, uses real-world examples to highlight litigation risks, and offers strategies to manage psychological stress during legal proceedings. Designed to empower emergency providers, it ensures they can identify and navigate complex legal scenarios with confidence, ultimately reducing vulnerability to malpractice and enhancing professional resilience.

Let me pose to you three important questions, and an additional rhetorical question to make you smile.

1)   How much formal legal training with respect to Tort Law, Negligence, or Medical Malpractice did YOU receive during your entire time as a medical student, intern, resident, fellow or staff physician?
2)   What would be your reaction if sometime within the next 12 months you are informed by an officer of the court that you have been named in a lawsuit regarding a patient you saw about 2 years prior to the date the officer serves you with the “Summons and Complaint”?
3)   Do you think that you personally will find it easy to concentrate on learning the complexities of the legal system while simultaneously struggling with your sense of outrage, or helplessness, or anxiety after a stranger asks you in a public place: “Are you Dr. Jones?” “This is your formal order to appear before the court in 90 days”.
4)   And finally, I ask in a rhetorical way: “what happens to the cost of umbrellas and the ease with which you can get one when it starts to rain?”

Description

Curriculum

  1. Road Map and Introductory remarks
  2. Why Definitions Matter
  3. Differences Between Physician and Lawyer Thinking
  4. Criminal and Civil Tort Laws
  5. Legal Definitions Guilty v. Non-Guilty
  6. A finding of liability requires a set of legal proofs very different from those needed to establish Guilty vs Not Guilty
  7. Civil Tort Law became the precedent for today’s legal actions against Doctors, Nurses, Physician Associates, etc.
  8. Tort General Concepts
    8.1 IRAC

Program Overview

Emergency medicine is a high-stakes specialty where practitioners must make rapid decisions under chaotic circumstances. While clinicians are well-trained in diagnosing and treating complex medical conditions, there is often a stark lack of legal education in their formal training. This course is designed to fill that gap, equipping emergency medicine professionals with the knowledge and skills to recognize, mitigate, and manage legal risks. By addressing the fundamentals of medical-legal concepts, the course empowers providers to approach potential litigation with greater confidence and clarity.

The curriculum is structured to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical application. Initial lessons introduce essential legal terms and frameworks, focusing on how they intersect with clinical practice. Subsequent units delve into the unique thinking styles of medicine and law, highlighting key differences in reasoning, decision-making, and approaches to uncertainty. Through carefully crafted scenarios, participants will learn to identify subtle litigation risks and understand how to act proactively in legally perilous situations. Real-world examples and the IRAC (Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion) framework are incorporated to enhance comprehension and application.

Beyond legal education, the course addresses the emotional and psychological toll of malpractice lawsuits. Participants will explore common responses to litigation and develop strategies to minimize stress and maintain resilience. By integrating legal literacy with adaptive coping mechanisms, this program provides a comprehensive approach to supporting emergency providers in their dual roles as medical professionals and legal stakeholders. Ultimately, this course aims to create a more confident, informed, and prepared workforce, capable of navigating the complex intersections of emergency care and legal accountability.