In these times of ever increasing malpractice insurance premiums, academic med center teaching pofessionals like you need to understand how malpractice insurance works at your institution....

1. When meeting with your Chair, Dean, Faculty Practice Plan professionals, start with the basics to facilitate your understanding and ask - how is your academic institution's coverage structured and who pays for it?
   
2. Because there are numerous academic faculty practice structures, legal and organizational relationships with Med Centers, determine how premium costs are allocated among faculty members
   
3. Beyond your understanding of allocating malpractice costs amongst faculty members, be sure you know how cost allocations are made between teaching hospital and faculty practice plan.
   
4. Ask your malpractice insurance managers, who decides whether a lawsuit gets settled or goes to court, and how your views are considered in that process?
   
5. When first starting at a new Med Center, be sure you understand the policies and procedures for reporting an adverse event or possible litigation.
   
6. Some day, you will leave your current faculty practice plan. Be sure to develop an understanding for what happens with your malpractice insurance coverage before you terminate your current relationship.