NURSING HOME TASK FORCE NAMED

Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Commissioner José Montemayor has appointed a task force to help develop “best practices” for nursing home risk management and loss control, with the goal of stabilizing nursing home medical malpractice costs by reducing injuries to residents. Montemayor directed the task force to meet at least three times before Sept. 28, in order for TDI to get a jump on the process of proposing and adopting the best practices through rulemaking. The task force, which held its initial meeting Aug. 28, will automatically expire Dec. 31, 2002, unless extended by the commissioner. While a nursing home’s use of the department’s best-practices guidelines may be considered by insurance companies and the Texas Medical Liability Underwriting Association in determining the facility’s professional liability insurance rates, by law the best practices does not establish nursing home standards of care applicable in lawsuits. Task force appointees include consumers and representatives of the nursing home and insurance industries.