ISMIE Mutual Insurance Leader, Harold Jensen, Passes

Chicago-based medical professional liability insurer, ISMIE Mutual, is mourning the the loss of its late chairman, Harold L. Jensen, M.D. Jensen died unexpectedly on Monday, May 22, 2017.

A strong and visionary leader, Dr. Jensen transformed ISMIE into a medical liability insurer heralded for its operational strength and forceful advocacy on behalf of policyholders. Dr. Jensen led ISMIE as board chair since 1991; he joined the board as a member in 1986.

A consummate physician advocate, Dr. Jensen personified our company’s mission of Physician-First Service.As ISMIE chairman, chief among his goals was improving the way Illinois courts handled medical liability. He spoke out on the negative impact of our state’s hostile lawsuit climate on physicians and, most importantly, on patients’ access to medical care.

Believing that ISMIE must do more than simply reflect in our premiums the cost of runaway lawsuits, Dr. Jensen spearheaded our multiple efforts to restore fairness to state tort law. He promoted ISMIE’s core philosophy of fighting meritless lawsuits, no matter how big or how small. The ISMIE Board continues to this day to stand with our policyholders in fighting unfair litigation.

Dr. Jensen also sought improvements on another important front: offering significant premium incentives to ISMIE policyholders who completed risk management courses to lessen their lawsuit exposure. Today, some 13 years after the launch of ISMIE’s Risk Rewards program, approximately 8,000 ISMIE physicians earn annual Risk Rewards premium discounts.

Most recently, Dr. Jensen led the company’s current multi-faceted effort to expand ISMIE’s coverages and states of operation to meet the emerging medical liability needs of medical professionals nationwide.

ISMIE Mutual will deeply miss Dr. Jensen. More importantly, we will continue to remain true to his charge: building a thriving professional enterprise that fulfills the medical liability insurance needs of health professionals and that advocates for a fair lawsuit climate. We express our deepest condolences to Dr. Jensen’s family and pledge to carry on ISMIE’s mission.

Note: The above is the statement of Paul H. DeHaan, M.D. – Acting Chair, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company

Source: ISMIE Mutual