• Was not required, county says.

By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

Columbus County’s blanket liability insurance policy will cover the county medical director, county officials say.

A copy of the interim medical director’s contract first requested on Nov. 28 and received on Dec. 19 lacks a clause that the doctor carry his own malpractice or liability insurance.

Gail Edwards, executive assistant to the county manager , said the county’s policy is $2 million in coverage per incident and includes heath professionals such as a county medical director. The state does not require otherwise, Edwards said.

She pointed out requiring the interim director to buy his own coverage would have cost thousands of dollars and the contract itself only was for $1,000 a month.

It appears the detail may have been part of the negotiation process Dr. David Phillips did not elaborate on in a Wednesday (Nov. 21) phone interview with The News Reporter. At that time he said details were being worked out.

Phillips was officially appointed interim county emergency medical director shortly thereafter.

Newly elected board Chairman James Prevatte , who was not chairman at the time of Phillips appointment, said he had not seen the agreement but understood the previous Director Dr. Fred Obrecht chose to carry additional insurance.

Prevatte pointed out Philips was the only physician interested in the position.

“I understand that you don’t have to have that in there. That person is covered with our insurance,” Prevatte said.

Commissioners quickly made the deal with Phillips, an emergency room doctor at Columbus Regional, to take over the position on a month-to-month basis for $1,000 per month.

The decision came after the State Office of Emergency Services notified the county it would have to drop its emergency ambulance service with contracted volunteer squads down to basic level if a director was not appointed.

The board had only a 24-hour notice and had to act quickly, Prevatte said.