Senator Frist Introducing med mal bill...

[Gldngrl]

to limit liability, benefiting hospitals, including his own (HCA).

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/pr/pr004034.php3

[pickledpepperRN]

Wouldn't the possibility of a lawsuit prevent knowing offences?

Why should only the doctor suffer the lawsuits and prohibitive co$ts of malpractice insurance if the facility provided neither sufficient trained nursing staff nor safe equipment in working condition?

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/st/

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/rp/rp003103.pdf

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/st/st000315.php3

...If I go out on the street and murder a person, I am thrown in jail for murder and held accountable," said Corcoran. "What's the difference between me and this clerk thousands of miles away making a life decision which took the life of my baby and she gets off scot-free and keeps her job. They don't get held accountable. And that's what appalls me. I relive that all the time. Insurance companies don't answer to nobody. Nobody knows about ERISA."

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/st/st000314.php3

Madison Scott was born premature, but otherwise healthy. Today she is permanently and completely blind. Her parents, Curt and Helen Scott, claim the HMO they counted on to care for her was more worried about saving dollars than it was about saving her sight. Yet, because the Scott's receive their health care through their employer, they have no remedy against their HMO.

My fear is that the powers that be are grooming Dr. Frist for even higher office. He will not get my vote.

[Gldngrl]

Spacenurse- I wrote a paper in my Health Care Regulations class on HMO's and physician disincentives...incredibly difficult to hold an HMO accountable legally for a patient's negative outcome and ERISA isn't particularly helpful. Very sad to read about patients seeking help from their physician and not receiving it b/c the HMO was dictating care and providing financial benefits for compliance and the patient died or suffered permanent injury.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

I like Frist, but then I also work HCA all the way