W Va surgeons go on strike to protest insurance costs. Real crisis or grandstanding?

[astro]

Is this really just grandstanding or is there a real crisis in medicine with malpractice insurance costs being in the $ 150,000 range for surgeons. What are states with lots of malpractice suits being filed going to do if the docs walk out?

Why do some states not have this problem?

W.Va. Surgeons Say Walkout Will Continue

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A walkout by surgeons protesting high malpractice insurance costs will continue indefinitely because Gov. Bob Wise and the Legislature have not done enough to address the problem, a participating surgeon said Friday.

“No progress has been made,” said Dr. Robert Zaleski, an orthopedic surgeon. “I am pessimistic at present that the state and trial attorneys of this state will give such concessions to make West Virginia a more attractive place for new physicians.”

More than two dozen orthopedic, general and heart surgeons serving four hospitals in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle began 30-day leaves of absence Wednesday or planned to begin leaves in the next few days

[Lure]

Sorta gives the Hippocratic oath a kick in the ass,doesn’t it?

Similar things have been happening in Nevada,with Docs leaving their practices at some hospitals.Some also refusing medicare patients.

It’s all about the bottom line,and while I can sympathise with some of their points(insurance costs,etc.) it makes me feel a litle unnerved thinking of the possibilty of needing one,and wondering if I’m getting a dedicated practitioner or an assembly line worker.

Perhaps ** Qadgop ** can weigh in on this,since he’s apparently seen this thing from handson experience.

[World_Eater]

I can’t say for sure where the problem begins, but I can tell you what it involves. Ambulance chasing lawyers, and this ridiculous litigious-dependant society we are evolving into. I think this is great that they’re striking, maybe some of the droves that are suing them will drop dead instead. Medicine is not a perfect field by a long shot, and some of these malpractice cases are so ludicrous, it makes your jaw drop. There are certainly some legitimate malpractice cases, but there are more then there should be.

This explains W. Virginia.

[seal_cleaner]

I have read (don’t have a cite at this time, you’re right if you holler at me) that a relatively small percentage of doctors are responsilble for a disproportionate amount of large settlements. Perhaps if it were easier to pull the license of repeat offenders, it might make it easier on all.
In a similar vein, the lion’s share of the litigation explosion is business v. business, as opposed to the goofs suing McD’s for hot coffee.

[Olentzero]

From what I understand, the issue is more the fact that malpractice insurance is strictly out-of-pocket for these surgeons, rather than either partially or wholly paid by the hospitals for which they work. IMO, an entirely justifiable grievance.

[december]

*Originally posted by seal_clubber *
I have read (don’t have a cite at this time, you’re right if you holler at me) that a relatively small percentage of doctors are responsilble for a disproportionate amount of large settlements. Perhaps if it were easier to pull the license of repeat offenders, it might make it easier on all.

There aren’t that many huge settlements, so it automatically follows that they are from a relatively small percentage of doctors. A single huge award may reflect a bad doctor or it may be bad luck.

Even a frequency of malpractice claims may not indicate a bad doctor. Some of the very best doctors are the ones willing to take the most difficult cases. These cases give rise to a lot of malpractice suits, because they often have a bad outcome.