Medical Crisis in PA.

County Press (Second Thoughts) ^ | 2/11/04 | William W. Lawrence

[Temple Owl]

Editorial

Second Thoughts

By: William W. Lawrence 02/10/2004

My son and I attended an educational symposium, Feb. 3, concerning the crisis in medical care in Pennsylvania. And it is a crisis.

It was projected that there will be huge shortages in some specialties -- an estimated 80 percent for urologists by 2020 -- due to an aging population, an unwillingness for doctors to settle in Pennsylvania and an educational system unable to graduate enough students to handle "the rigors of medical school."

An out-of-control tort system got most of the blame for our state being doctor unfriendly, but the insurance companies did not escape the doctors' wrath.

Riddle Memorial Hospital cardiologist C. Richard Schott called them "monopsonies" in which one or two buyers can impose prices on sellers that an open market would prevent. This keeps doctors from shopping for good rates and services.

Few insurance companies will do business in Pennsylvania because of the uncontrolled lawsuit environment.

* * *

It was revealed that Mercy Haverford Hospital's malpractice insurance rates rose $10 million the year it went under. Not many institutions can survive an unexpected $10 million increase in expenses.

Caps on non-economic damages must be instituted and we can't wait for a constitutional amendment. The judges on our Supreme Court must listen to reason. If they fail to do so, our legislators must impeach them.

It's really gotten down to that. Are you reading this, Ted Erickson? The time for being a nice guy has ended.

* * *

The event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the doctors seemed disorganized about their political agenda. While it seemed that most were endorsing Congressman Pat Toomey in the April 27 GOP Primary for U.S. Senate, the Montgomery County panelist was pulling for incumbent Arlen Specter. Specter's son, Shanin, is a trial lawyer with a reputation for suing doctors.

Attorneys at the law firm he heads, Kline & Specter, have contributed $36,000 to Democratic presidential contender John Edwards over the last two years. Edwards is a former trial lawyer who has received big money from other attorneys. They contributed no money to Republicans.

Shanin's website boasts of huge wins. These include a $49.6 million verdict that is described as "the then largest medical malpractice verdict in Pennsylvania history."

Shanin is an acorn that did not fall far from the tree.

***

Sen. Specter, by the way, has been named Porker of the Year 2003 by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW). The watchdog organization said Specter finished first with 51 percent of the vote in an online poll, outdistancing his competitors by a 2-to-1 margin.

Please vote for Pat Toomey.

***

Surgeon James Tayoun Jr. -- the son of the former Philadelphia Councilman (and my old Daily News colleague) -- announced at the symposium he was seeking the state Senate seat held by Vince Fumo in the Democratic primary. Tayoun Jr. heads the Politically Active Physicians Association. He has endorsed Toomey.

Good luck, Jimmy.

* * *

How about all of the uproar vis-à-vis the one-second flashing of Janet Jackson's right breast. That hue and cry should have come about eight years ago when we had a pervert as a national role model. Hey, better late than never.

[Temple Owl]

It appears that the medical crisis in Pennsylvania is going to get a lot worse. Thank tort lawyers for it.

[Mamzelle]

re: the doctors seemed disorganized about their political agenda.)))

LOL--they so badly need to unionize, it's pathetic. But it's not part of their artist/scientist/entrepeneurial mindset.

Penn has the distinction among states of steadily losing doctors, in real numbers. Every year, Penn educates docs who then leave the state. Docs retire and relocate and no one steps in to replace them.

But the statehouse is run by goons and thugs, pure and simple. No hope for reform.

[joesnuffy]

The problem is Medical Schools...stranglehold on who can and cannot practice medicine..
Having a 4.0 isnt necessarily indicative of who will or will not be a good or ethical physician.

There is a potential for many people- well qualified- who simply cannot get in....

If they allowed Physican Assistants and Nurse Practioners into specialities as they have Nurse Anesthisists...they wouldnt have so many shortages...

That and rid America of tort lawyers...

imo

[FormerACLUmember]

New medical graduates find it essentially impossible to practice in their home state of Pennsylvania in a number of specialties. I understand it is heart-breaking for many of them.

[FormerACLUmember]

Do you really want an untrained or poorly trained practitioner caring for you or your loved ones?

[Mamzelle]

It is an extremely expensive thing to educate a health professional. Labs, techs, "interesting patient pool", heavy infrastructure and scarce educators. It is an extremely cheap thing to educate a lawyer. Books, classrooms, brokendown rainmakers...that's all you need.

Texas has built a few more med schools in the past few years--we're talking tens, maybe hundreds of millions.

Hillary closed down a few med schools in NY when she was First Shady.

The US takes many foreign med school grads--it's a pretty good deal, since we don't have to pay to educate them. But the same insurance problem will put even plentiful personnel out of business.

[Mamzelle]

The kindest thing that docs in Penn could do is to quit en masse. The slow bleed attracts too little political attn.

[Temple Owl]

The kindest thing that docs in Penn could do is to quit en masse.

That would work! I think if we closed all parochial schools en masse, we would soon have school vouchers, too--or unbelievable tax hikes.

[Temple Owl]

ping

[Chris Talk]

Many other states in same position. North Carolina under Edwards has made the delivery of babies practically a CRIME.

He just sues the doctors everytime the baby is bad, especially if it is cerebral palsy, he then collects 30% or 40% of the award, and runs for president, leaving NC devastated medically.

[tdadams]

All those who've read Atlas Shrugged, raise you hand. This should come as no surprise.

[Temple Owl]

I never could get through it, but even so, I am not surprised.

[hurly]

No. That's why I prefer to see my PA who is ex-Special Forces medic in Vietnam, who attended the US Army PA school at Baylor University!!

[republicanwizard]

Yeah, and then more court action would follow.

[oldironsides]

I had surgery @a Del Co. PA hospital last week. I had to sign so many it aint my fault forms it was stunning. The final insult was to have the hospital tell you to watch yourself and the caregivers. It was scarey. When my MD walked up outside the OR and introduced a resident that would be helping him I almost got up and ran. I have private insurance and pay through the nose for it. I realize it is a teaching institution but these things should be covered in the office. Don't introduce a "helper" just before you roll someone in to the OR. It creates worry. "Ya know what I'm sayin"

Many MDs have opened offices in Delaware. Malpractice insurance is cheaper. Christiana Hospital is OK

[cynicom]

Do you really want no one to treat you. That argument is shopworn and tired.

[swampfox98]

It is interesting reading all the posts to your article. What I see here is so much damage has been done to your state by lawyers and Democrat politicians. (especially Hillary) Maybe I am stupid, but don't voters ever learn who is their most rabid enemy - the Democrats and Liberals, and ever vote for conservatives to replace them? Pennsylvania voted for Gore, didn't they? That must make people like yourself who are in the know almost crazy.

And here it comes again, John Edwards will surely be the vice-President, with either Kerry or Hillary - and I put my money on Hillary, which must make it doubly horrendous for you.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

I was talking to an OB/GYN on Wednesday. We discussed malpractice. Her carrier she'd been with for years left the state and wouldn't insure here in WA anymore. Since they left (rather than her retiring) she had to purchase a 'tail' (Coverage for anything that might have occurred or may be filed in the future, and with OB that's up to 21 years).

The net result was that she had to take out a 2nd mortgage on her house for $150K to cover that insurance preimum.

If you're even in your '50's and something like that comes along it's pretty tempting to call it quits go get a teaching certificate and simplify your life.

If the malpractice thing isn't resolved very soon there aren't going to be many docs practicing anymore.

[Lancey Howard]

BUMPPPPPPP!!!!

[Tribune7]

ping