Another View on Med Mal
March 23, 2011 - by
I do consulting work with doctors and hospitals, and my view of medical-malpractice reform differs from Carter’s.
First off, personal-injury lawyers aren’t opposed to reform just out of tender hearts and a passion for justice. They’re looking after their bank accounts.
Second, a lawyer who is a skilled courtroom performer can hit the jackpot. That’s how John Edwards made the fortune that propelled him into politics.
Third, the sheer unpredictability of the system can drive up malpractice insurance costs, encourage some doctors to retire early or stop delivering babies and others to practice costly defensive medicine. It can poison the relationship between doctors and patients. It drives up the cost we all pay for health care.
Carter and the personal-injury lawyers focus on the emergency-room issue, but they exaggerate. As I understand the issue, the Senate bill wouldn’t eliminate emergency-room liability. It would change the standard of care to make it fairer when an ER doctor or nurse is presented with a trauma patient about whose condition and history they know nothing.
A great irony is the lawyers’ criticism of the legislature for taking up the issue now that Republicans are in charge. When Democrats were in charge, the lawyers relied on big financial contributions to the leadership to make sure lawsuit reform never came to a floor vote. They knew that a number of Democrats, as well as Republicans, would vote for it.
I know a lot of doctors and a lot of trial lawyers, and I respect most all of them. But I care more about keeping doctors healing than lawyers hitting it big.
Another View on Med Mal
March 23, 2011/
I do consulting work with doctors and hospitals, and my view of medical-malpractice reform differs from Carter’s.
First off, personal-injury lawyers aren’t opposed to reform just out of tender hearts and a passion for justice. They’re looking after their bank accounts.
Second, a lawyer who is a skilled courtroom performer can hit the jackpot. That’s how John Edwards made the fortune that propelled him into politics.
Third, the sheer unpredictability of the system can drive up malpractice insurance costs, encourage some doctors to retire early or stop delivering babies and others to practice costly defensive medicine. It can poison the relationship between doctors and patients. It drives up the cost we all pay for health care.
Carter and the personal-injury lawyers focus on the emergency-room issue, but they exaggerate. As I understand the issue, the Senate bill wouldn’t eliminate emergency-room liability. It would change the standard of care to make it fairer when an ER doctor or nurse is presented with a trauma patient about whose condition and history they know nothing.
A great irony is the lawyers’ criticism of the legislature for taking up the issue now that Republicans are in charge. When Democrats were in charge, the lawyers relied on big financial contributions to the leadership to make sure lawsuit reform never came to a floor vote. They knew that a number of Democrats, as well as Republicans, would vote for it.
I know a lot of doctors and a lot of trial lawyers, and I respect most all of them. But I care more about keeping doctors healing than lawyers hitting it big.