The PACN Podcast - Dr. Damian McHugh, Curi (Part 2) cover art

The PACN Podcast - Dr. Damian McHugh, Curi (Part 2)

The PACN Podcast - Dr. Damian McHugh, Curi (Part 2)

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 In this follow-up conversation, Dr. John Pagan and Dr. Damian McHugh pick up where Part 1 left off — moving beyond Curi's core medical liability product to explore the company's expanding suite of services for physicians. The conversation also takes a timely turn toward one of the most pressing legal developments affecting Pennsylvania physicians: a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on venue change and what it may mean for malpractice exposure in the years ahead.Haven't heard Part 1? Start there for the story of Curi's origins, Dr. McHugh's path from emergency medicine to physician advocacy, and why the PACN–Curi partnership is a natural fit.Key HighlightsCuri Has Grown Well Beyond Liability Insurance While medical professional liability remains Curi's foundation, the company has expanded into two additional service areas in direct response to what its physician member-owners asked for.Curi Capital — A wealth management arm staffed by approximately 25 registered independent advisors with deep expertise in both physician personal finance and practice asset management, including retirement plan administration. The arm grew out of member physicians who admired how prudently Curi managed its own investment portfolio and asked whether they could access similar expertise for their own financial lives.Curi Advisory — A business consulting arm that provides physicians with software tools for practice management, online reputation management, and organic growth strategies. Curi initially partnered with an analytics company called Alytics, found it so effective that it acquired the company outright, and built Curi Advisory around it. The result is a suite of business consulting and risk management solutions designed to make practices more successful operationally.Dr. McHugh signaled that continued innovation is coming — additional services are in development as Curi works to support physicians in medicine, business, and life.Legislative Advocacy: A Core Commitment Dr. McHugh shared a personal story from 2011, when a looming malpractice crisis in North Carolina brought him and Curi together in the legislative arena for the first time. Curi invested significant time, talent, and resources assembling medical and legal experts, equipping physicians to meet directly with lawmakers, and bringing firsthand bedside stories to the legislature — a form of advocacy Dr. McHugh has found consistently effective. Curi has since maintained an active legislative presence across multiple states, including Pennsylvania.The Venue Change: A Significant Development for Pennsylvania Physicians A substantial portion of the conversation focused on a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that effectively overturned the venue protections established by the MCare Act of 2002. Under that law, malpractice cases had to be heard in the county where the medical event occurred. The Supreme Court has now ruled that cases can be filed in almost any county in the state — opening the door to plaintiffs choosing favorable jurisdictions, most notably Philadelphia, regardless of where care was provided.Curi has been tracking this issue for six to seven years and has been an active supporter of efforts to address it, including through the work of its general counsel, Jason Newton, whom Dr. McHugh described as one of the foremost medical-legal minds in the region. The venue change takes effect January 1st of the upcoming new year. While neither Dr. McHugh nor Dr. Pagan expected an immediate flood of filings on that date, both acknowledged that an uptick in litigation activity in plaintiff-friendly counties is anticipated at some future point, given the typical lag between a medical event and a filed suit.Curi is already working at the advocacy and legislative level to explore potential solutions, including whether it may be feasible for physicians to ask patients to sign agreements consenting to venue in the physician's home county in the event of a dispute. In the meantime, Curi noted it has existing experience defending cases across the Commonwealth's major counties and feels well-prepared to defend its member-owners wherever cases may be filed.Key TakeawaysCuri has evolved from a single-product liability carrier into a three-legged platform: medical professional liability, wealth management (Curi Capital), and business consulting (Curi Advisory) — all built around what physician members asked for.Curi Capital offers independent financial advisory services tailored specifically to physicians, covering both personal wealth and practice retirement plans.Curi Advisory provides practice management software, online reputation tools, and growth strategies through its Alytics platform.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's venue ruling is a material development for physician liability exposure in the state. Physicians should be aware it takes effect January 1st and should discuss its implications with their liability carrier.Curi is ...
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