Insurance for Surgical Facilities

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Whether you operate a single-specialty ASC, multi-specialty surgical center, pain management facility, or hospital outpatient surgery department, the right insurance program is critical to protect your surgeons, staff, patients, and accreditation status from the high-stakes liabilities of ambulatory surgery.

Homewood Insurance Group partners with top carriers to deliver tailored General Liability and Professional Liability coverage for surgical facilities at competitive rates.

Contact us today for a fast, no-obligation quote customized to your center.

Insurance for Surgical Facilities can include:

Malpractice or liability insurance can provide essential protection against these risks:

Professional Liability (Malpractice)

1. 1. Coverage for surgical complications including wrong-site/wrong-procedure/side errors, retained foreign objects, or post-op infections.
   2. Protection against anesthesia-related claims (airway management failure, malignant hyperthermia, awareness under anesthesia).
   3. Liability for inadequate pre-op assessment, failure to obtain proper informed consent, or improper credentialing/privileging of surgeons.
   4. Claims involving post-anesthesia recovery issues, discharge errors, or failure to recognize deteriorating conditions.
   5. Defense for infection control lapses, sterilization failures, or breaches in sterile technique leading to outbreaks.
   6. Coverage for multi-specialty procedures, pain injections, endoscopy, or office-based surgery when applicable.
   7. Optional extensions for conscious sedation, regional blocks, or peer review defense.
   8. Policy limits typically up to $1,000,000 per claim / $3,000,000 aggregate (higher limits often required), with prior-acts and tail coverage available.

General Liability

1. 1. Third-party bodily injury coverage for slip-and-fall incidents in pre-op, recovery, or parking areas.
   2. Protection for injuries during patient transport, from equipment, or facility hazards.
   3. Property damage liability for accidental harm to landlord property or patient belongings.
   4. Personal and advertising injury coverage, including misleading marketing about safety or outcomes.
   5. Coverage for multi-OR facilities, mobile surgery units, or outreach programs when scheduled.
   6. Cyber liability endorsement for breaches of protected health information.
   7. Abuse and Molestation (SAM) coverage, often with sub-limits, for patient interaction allegations.
   8. Standard limits commonly at $1,000,000 per occurrence / $3,000,000 aggregate, with umbrella/excess for higher exposure.

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Why do Surgical Facilities need Insurance?

Surgical facilities face numerous challenges that necessitate the need for malpractice or liability insurance. These challenges arise from the inherent risks associated with surgical procedures, the complexity of patient care, and the high expectations for successful outcomes. Here are key areas where surgical facilities are vulnerable to being sued for malpractice:

1. Surgical Errors: This includes wrong-site surgery, incorrect procedures, leaving instruments or sponges inside the patient, and other mistakes made during surgery. Such errors can lead to significant patient harm, prolonged recovery, additional surgeries, and, in severe cases, death.

2. Anesthesia Complications: Complications arising from anesthesia can have devastating consequences, including brain damage, asphyxia, allergic reactions, and even death. Anesthesiologists and CRNAs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) are highly trained, but errors or unforeseen reactions can still occur.

3. Postoperative Infections: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant risk, potentially leading to sepsis, prolonged hospitalization, and additional surgeries. Facilities may be held liable if inadequate infection control practices are found to have contributed to an infection.

4. Failure to Obtain Informed Consent: Patients must be fully informed about the risks, benefits, alternatives, and potential outcomes of surgical procedures. Failure to obtain proper informed consent can result in legal action if patients experience adverse outcomes that they were not adequately warned about.

5. Postoperative Care Negligence: Inadequate monitoring and care in the postoperative period can lead to complications such as infections, hemorrhage, or delayed identification of complications arising from the surgery. Facilities are responsible for ensuring that postoperative care meets standard protocols.

6. Medication Errors: Errors in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medications can occur in the preoperative and postoperative periods, leading to adverse drug events, allergic reactions, or overdoses.

7. Diagnostic Errors: Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis related to surgical care, including preoperative and postoperative periods, can lead to inappropriate treatment, unnecessary surgery, or failure to perform necessary surgery.

8. Breach of Patient Confidentiality: Unauthorized disclosure of patient information, whether accidental or intentional, can result in lawsuits for violating privacy laws and regulations.

9. Equipment Failure: Malfunctioning surgical equipment or failure to properly sterilize instruments can lead to patient injury or infection, for which the facility may be held liable.

10. Failure to Monitor and Respond to Complications: Timely recognition and management of surgical complications are critical. Facilities can be sued for malpractice if there is a failure to adequately monitor patients or respond appropriately to complications.

Malpractice or liability insurance provides financial protection against claims of negligence or malpractice, covering legal defense costs, settlements, and judgments. Westwood Insurance Group work with a number of different carriers to ensure surgical facilities get the most suitable coverage for the best price. Get a Quick Quote today!