Thursday, August 12, 2004
Malpractice, other proposals
There is no doubt, doctors are frustrated nationwide. They want to do something. Several approaches have been thought of.
First and most aggressive is to refuse to treat attorneys. Pretty radical, it is an understandable backlash against perceived (or real) persecution. This is basically a boycott. I can't see it working very well because some of our colleagues will step in and treat the guy no matter how bad he is, especially if he is insured.
Next, some doctors are just leaving. Southern Illinois is said to lack virtually all neurosurgical services. Too bad if you get in a car accident there and need an emergency decompression of a subdural, I guess. And here's an article (from a feminist site no less) about problems with women's services. I'm glad I'm past childbearing age...although my daughters aren't...I may have to deliver them myself!
What are the ethics of leaving? Is it OK for a doctor to leave an area of need due to personal risk? Tough question. The fact is, though, it is really happening.
Some doctors have suggested going on strike. This is problematic ethically and because the wonderful antitrust laws, which are supposed to protect the little guy, often prevent two little guys from doing anything together. Doctors are "supposed to be in competition" with each other.
That seems to leave politics. Some states have pretty good tort reforms that continue to resist concerted efforts by attorneys. California and Colorado do OK, for example. But there is an enormous difference in malpractice insurance rates--for example, Florida obstetricians pay almost $250,000, per year, for a million dollars in coverage. South Dakota? $14,000. (oh, by the way, the average physican salary in Obstetrics is about $200,000.)
I think this needs national attention, hence this website. Doctors can lobby until blue in the face, but legislatures that are majority attorneys will just smile. Perhaps, faced with the loss of power, they will start to pay attention. I'm betting that a Senator will have more desire to keep his power than to help his legal comrades.
First and most aggressive is to refuse to treat attorneys. Pretty radical, it is an understandable backlash against perceived (or real) persecution. This is basically a boycott. I can't see it working very well because some of our colleagues will step in and treat the guy no matter how bad he is, especially if he is insured.
Next, some doctors are just leaving. Southern Illinois is said to lack virtually all neurosurgical services. Too bad if you get in a car accident there and need an emergency decompression of a subdural, I guess. And here's an article (from a feminist site no less) about problems with women's services. I'm glad I'm past childbearing age...although my daughters aren't...I may have to deliver them myself!
What are the ethics of leaving? Is it OK for a doctor to leave an area of need due to personal risk? Tough question. The fact is, though, it is really happening.
Some doctors have suggested going on strike. This is problematic ethically and because the wonderful antitrust laws, which are supposed to protect the little guy, often prevent two little guys from doing anything together. Doctors are "supposed to be in competition" with each other.
That seems to leave politics. Some states have pretty good tort reforms that continue to resist concerted efforts by attorneys. California and Colorado do OK, for example. But there is an enormous difference in malpractice insurance rates--for example, Florida obstetricians pay almost $250,000, per year, for a million dollars in coverage. South Dakota? $14,000. (oh, by the way, the average physican salary in Obstetrics is about $200,000.)
I think this needs national attention, hence this website. Doctors can lobby until blue in the face, but legislatures that are majority attorneys will just smile. Perhaps, faced with the loss of power, they will start to pay attention. I'm betting that a Senator will have more desire to keep his power than to help his legal comrades.
# posted by Unknown @ 1:03 PM 
