The impact of professional liability on dermatologists.

Familiarity with and adherence to the above principles may not make you claim- or judgment-proof, but they should improve patient care in your office and decrease your exposure to medicolegal interventions. Always bear in mind that medical practice is not a right conferred upon you by virtue of your medical degree, but rather a privilege granted you by state statute and licensure. Inherent in this privilege are the following: 1. That you remain familiar with and comply with all state and federal laws governing the practice of medicine. 2. That you remain current in your continuing medical education, quality assurance, and loss prevention. 3. That you possess and exercise that degree of skill and learning commonly possessed and exercised by some physicians of your specialty in the same or similar communities at the same point in time. 4. That you maintain a valid license, DEA registration, and appropriate hospital credentialing.