alteration of medical records exclusion
An alteration of medical records exclusion can be found within the majority of physicians professional liability insurance policy forms with the purpose of eliminating coverage for claims involving the alteration of medical records.
Additional Information
The following scenario illustrates how this exclusion would apply. An anesthesiologist used the wrong type of anesthetic on a patient, given the nature and duration of the operation being performed. As a result of the error, the patient woke up before the operation was completed and eventually sues the anesthesiologist. But before receiving the lawsuit, the anesthesiologist changed the patient's medical record to indicate that he used the correct type of anesthetic. This exclusion would eliminate coverage for the patient's lawsuit, given the dishonest nature of the anesthesiologist's conduct in deliberately changing the patient's medical record in an attempt to absolve himself from liability. The rationale for this exclusion is that, in the vast majority of situations where physicians alter medical records, they do so in an attempt to remove or eliminate evidence of their medical negligence in treating a patient. Accordingly, it is not the intent of insurers to cover intentionally dishonest conduct of this kind.
