Medical Crisis in PA.

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

[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