Expert: Doctors must become politically involved

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Tuesday, May 6, 2003 | Richard Gazarik

[Willie Green]

When Dr. Albert Saloom, of Mt. Pleasant, began practicing medicine in 1961, he could purchase $100,000 in malpractice insurance for $30 a year.

"In the '60s, we delivered babies and did surgery for $30," Saloom said.

When the rate eventually increased to $104 a year, Saloom said he wrote a "tough letter" to the insurance company demanding to know why.

[Willie Green]

Doctors hope walkout pressures Legislators

ping

[martin_fierro]

My dad was a PGH surgeon and retired in the early 90s. He could see the writing on the wall.

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[xsmommy]

ping.

[Dane]

Thank you for linking that article. I still get a chuckle out of what was said by the head of the trial lawyer association.

Mark Phenicie, executive director of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association in Harrisburg, said it's the physicians who are greedy.

Thesaurus editors should make the above italicized quote as the meaning of the adage of the pot calling the kettle black

[mountaineer]

The biggest impediment to tort reform - and thus resolving the medical malpractice problem - is the election of judges. I recently covered a personal injury/wrongful death case (as a reporter) where the defendants' negligence was far from established. In my estimation, the deceased was at least 80 percent responsible for his injuries. Nevertheless, the judge decreed their negligence as a matter of law, leaving only the amount of damages up to the jury. Oh yes, the judge is a Democrat, and personal injury lawyers contribute lots of money to his reelection campaigns. Quid pro quo, and all that.

[cynicom]

"Give us immunity and we'll take care of bad doctors," he said. "We'd love to do that."

Does he really expect us to believe that???? The good doctors want a complete switch, they own the henhouse, gather the eggs and keep the keys to boot. I have never, ever, heard a doctor raise a word about a bad doctor. Even in face to face confrontation, admission, but not a word to anyone about getting the bad doctor disciplined.

[RJCogburn]

Well, cyni, I believe it only a tad more than the idea lawyers will take care of bad lawyers...

[cynicom]

Rooster...Notice that the board was made up of doctors, lawyers, no a patient in sight. That speaks volumns.

I am all for tort reform, shutting out the greedy shysters, but trading one yoke for another hardly disciplines the bad doctors.

[caltrop]

The doctors would probably find they had more time to work on the malpractice issue if they didn't use up so much of their time asking their patients if they owned firearms.

[Taliesan]

I have never, ever, heard a doctor raise a word about a bad doctor.

Well, gee, if you've never heard it then it must never happen.

[cynicom]

I have had discussions with doctors in which they readily admit to the imcompetence of others. Is that better.

[big bad easter bunny]

Didn't clintoon make it illegal for doctors to organize? I think I remember that. Help....

[Glock22]

It was Bill's buddy Fortney "Pete" Stark who did that. I can't even ask another doc what to charge for something....it would be racketeering.

[js1138]

Well, gee, if you've never heard it then it must never happen.

I've got M.D.s for my father, grandfather and brother. I've heard all kinds of horror stories, but I've never seen doctors take any action against another doctor.

I also have a best friend, a lawyer, who defends insurance companies. He says the runaway claims cases involve a trivial amount of the total claims pot.

I'm confused. The surgeons in my hometown just went on strike. this is a complex issue with no easy answer.

[Myrddin]

I worked my tail off to graduate from UCSD at age 19. My goal was to go to medical school. I evaluated the direction that malpractice insurance premiums were heading and ditched med school. Damn good choice in retrospect. I'm seeing more medical doctors opting for an alternate means of employment. One of my co-workers is an MD who chooses to teach Oracle classes at a community college and contract as a database admin. He was a very good emergency room physician as well as a skilled OB/GYN for many years.

[jetson]

Yes, doctors must start standing up for what a vital service they provide and stop listening to their politicaly correct wives!

[Glenn]

I was never sick a day in my life before I moved to the Burgh. I'll tell you what, though: The people at UPMC are simply amazing. I've got all the confidence in the world in them. Had I still lived in Podunk, GA when the maladies hit, I'm sure I'd be pushing up daisies by now.