[NRSKarenRN]

The doctor will not see you now

Denise Payne walked into a Corpus Christi, Texas, emergency room recently, and doctors wanted nothing to do with her. She was pregnant. Fearful of lawsuits, some local doctors are shunning certain cases, leaving town, screening their patients or restricting their practices, all to reduce their risk of lawsuits.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times, June 16, 2002

http://www1.caller.com/ccct/local_ne...211900,00.html

[shay]

Um, Karen, maybe you can answer this....doesn't all that violate EMTALA rules???

[biscuit_007]

In a way I cannot blame doctors theses days. I could not work with the spector of a lawsuit hanging over my head constantly either. Until we get some meaningful TORT reform in this country things will only get worse. But then again congress is filled with lawyers who will never tell other lawyers the cannot make gobs of money off the backs of the unfortunate.

[fedupnurse]

Docs in NJ held a rally outside the State House to protest the exorbanent malpractice fees. Sad truth is the people who should sue usually don't and those that have no business suing call their lawyer before the ambulance! Seems to me that we are far too many people who want someone else to pay their way thru life. Doesn't matter if you smoke cigareetes, crack etc. or drink yourself into oblivion. You can always sue your healthcare provider when you mess up your life or don't have the perfect kid. I know plenty of docs who have no business being in practice but why is it that these are the ones who never get sued. Guess all that cheesy schmoozing they do with their patients must be working!!

[shay]

Originally posted by biscuit_007
But then again congress is filled with lawyers who will never tell other lawyers the cannot make gobs of money off the backs of the unfortunate.

And a trial lawyer scum may be running for president in a couple of years (John Edwards). Ugh.

[SharonH, RN]

I hate to sound callous, but the general public gets quite a bit of the blame for this; call it just desserts. Many people look for any unfavorable outcome in their care as their big payday and even when no error has been committed they try to make something out of nothing just to get paid. Frivolous and malicious lawsuits are just one of the many things sucking the life out of healthcare and healthcare providers.

[shay]

Originally posted by SharonMH31
I hate to sound callous, but the general public gets quite a bit of the blame for this; call it just desserts. Many people look for any unfavorable outcome in their care as their big payday and even when no error has been committed they try to make something out of nothing just to get paid. Frivolous and malicious lawsuits are just one of the many things sucking the life out of healthcare and healthcare providers.

SHA-ZAM!! GO SHARON!! Yep, you got that right.

That being said, really, though...isn't is a violation of EMTALA? Seriously...? Someone please answer that for me 'cause it looks like it would be to me...

[NRSKarenRN]

If a physician is NOT an employee of the hospital, only admitting privledges, they are not required to be on-call staff for the facility. The HOSPITAL is required to have adequate staff to cover emergencies based on type of licence it has and provide emergency care to stabilize the patient then transport to another facility that meets patients needs that can be arranged.

In the good old days, docs were onstaff with facilites AND had private practices...then administrators thought, gee I'll just contract services as needed, don't have to pay staff salary and malpractice. Now docs malpractice is not going up $100/yr but doubling and trippling BY THOUSANDS. Under right to work laws, docs are just giving a months notice to close up shop and move elswere. Can't say I blame them.

This is happening in Philadelphia area too. The hospital system I'm associated with lost all but two orthopedic surgeons; annouced today closing Maternity ubit at one hospital ( second hospital in Phila to close unit in past month); flagship hospital already closed pediatrics and Matenity clinic whic was converted to private clinic. 5 OB docs left. ENT doc 1 1/2 yrs ago stopped operating and became preadmiision doc; his replacment last 1 year till peds closed and 1 month ago moved practice out of state---new doc took over 10 days ago (found out at mom's appointment yesterday.

The way things are going here, see turnover of ENTIRE hospital medical staff within 1-2 years. That CAN't be good for the community/staff. One thing possitive that has occured in docs from affiliated Medical school hospital are leaving the city and becoming staff here. ( Gee, I REALLY need to update the medical staff directory that just arrived last week on my desk and get names in homecare computer).

Medical tort reform will be on the national agenda within the next three months...been brewing here for 9 months now. Just got email today that state tort reform passed . Will get particulars tomorrow and post.