Malpractice Insurance & Volunteers

[Guest guest]

Colleagues:

I’ve received an inquiry from an Outreach Director at a health center in Oregon. They are interested in coordinating a team of volunteer physicians, nurses and other health care workers (many of them retired) in order to bolster their services to migrant and homeless populations. The question has to do with malpractice insurance; the health center would need to have them on payroll in order to insure them, which defeats the purpose of a volunteer program. I am not sure about their FTCA coverage, but even if they do have it, would it extend to volunteers as well?

What do other health centers do to cover their volunteers? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Seth

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Seth Doyle

Migrant Health Coordinator

Northwest Regional Primary Care Association

206-783-3004 ext. 16

sdoyle@...