Notice Details

NYC Health + Hospitals (the System) is the largest municipal healthcare system in the United States, serving insured and uninsured patients in New York City. You can find out more information about the System by accessing the following link: http://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/

The System defends and indemnifies its medical staff against claims of medical malpractice. The claims are managed by the Claims & Litigation Division (CLD) of the Office of Legal Affairs, which was established as part of an overall program to provide high-quality claims and litigation management services to our hospitals and medical staff. Approximately 900 medical malpractice Notices of Claim are served on the System annually. Approximately 65% of these Notices of Claim convert into lawsuits. There are approximately 1600 active medical malpractice lawsuits currently in litigation. The System is covered by Article 50 of the New York City General Municipal Law and is indemnified by the City of New York for its liabilities, operating in essence as a self-insured entity.

The System also operates a subsidiary captive insurance company (known as the “Health + Hospitals Corporation Insurance Company” or “HHCIC”) which issues primary insurance policies to attending physicians in the specialties of OB/GYN and Neurosurgery. Following service of the legal documents, the CLD assigns claims counsel to oversee claim handling, litigation and disposition of these claims. The claims management philosophy of the CLD is to provide our facilities and indemnified practitioners with a vigorous defense to support the most appropriate resolution of any claim made against the System, whether by dismissal, settlement or trial. The System is represented in these cases by in-house counsel or by outside panel counsel. The cases are assigned to counsel based upon varying factors including the potential exposure and the anticipated length of the litigation.