The Committee on Medical Liability and Risk Management (COMLRM) is a group of pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists appointed by the AAP Board of Directors to address emerging medicolegal issues affecting pediatrics. They are nationally recognized experts in risk management, professional liability insurance and trends in medical malpractice claims. The Academy looks to COMLRM to provide members with pediatric-specific education, policy, and risk management advice on how to avoid malpractice claims and what to do if sued.
Mission and Vision Statement
The mission of COMLRM is to support the mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics through education and advocacy on issues affecting all children and all pediatricians that arise at the interface of medicine and law.
The vision of COMLRM is optimal unbiased pediatric care in an informed environment that protects all children and minimizes medical-legal risks for all pediatricians including medical subspecialists and surgical specialists.
COMLRM advances its mission and vision through the following initiatives:
- Alerting members to common causes of malpractice actions and providing practical risk management advice each month via the Pediatricians and the Law column of AAP News.
- Educating pediatricians and pediatric medical subspecialists and surgical specialist on how to minimize the risk of malpractice allegations via sessions at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition.
- Equipping pediatricians, especially those just starting out to make sure they have adequate and continuous professional liability insurance throughout their careers.
- Improving the quality of expert testimony in civil and criminal proceedings as articulated in policy and via the use of a voluntary expert witness affirmation statement.
- Analyzing research on the medical liability experience of pediatrics.
- Guiding members on disclosure of adverse events in pediatrics.
- Providing insight on liability risks and protections in pediatrics during disasters.
- Reforming the medical liability tort system to be just and fair to physicians and those harmed by medical errors.
- Helping pediatricians cope with stress of being sued.