Who Benefits from Medical Malpractice Caps, Doctors or Insurers?

In an article about New York's debate over medical malpractice caps, the New York Times looks at California's experience with caps, writing:

"...states that have similar caps in place offer cautionary evidence about the big savings for health care providers that such limits are believed to produce.

In 1975, California lawmakers approved a $250,000 cap on so-called noneconomic damages in cases of medical mistakes, which has since become a model for similar proposals. At least 35 states now have at least some limits on malpractice damages."

The article, Lessons for Albany on Malpractice Limits, goes on to cite numbers from the Physician Insurers Association of America that show California and three other states with "$250,000 caps in place in 1991 saw premiums increase 28 percent in the following decade."

For the full article and analysis, link to the article on NYT at: Limits on Medical Malpractice Awards Show Mixed Results.

Pennsylvania Leader in Reporting 'Never Events'

The Allentown, PA Morning Call published a lengthy article by Tim Darragh on wrong-site surgery in Pennsylvania. The report titled, 'Never events' happen dozens of times a year, starts with this lead in...

"More than five times a month, every month, a doctor in Pennsylvania commits one of the medical establishment's greatest taboos — working on the wrong part of a patient's body, or even the wrong patient. Since the state Patient Safety Authority began collecting data in mid-2004, health care facilities have reported 416 "wrong-site surgeries," an average of 64 a year, the authority reported this month."

Click here to read the full article.

In Connecticut, 'Safe Harbor' Language Causes Stir

New London, Connecticut's Day.com carries an editorial by John Foley, a former cardiologist, regarding the importance of 'safe harbor' offered by adhering to evidence-based medicine practices. The state's SustiNet legislation recently had the safe harbor language remo which has physicians up in arms. Click here to read more on what's happening on this issue.

Mass General Lawsuit Hopes To Change Internal Policies

A recent lawsuit filed against Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston provides the family of a woman who died as the result of a medical error with an opportunity to push for changes in hospital policies. The family's attorney Drew Meyer said in a Fox News interview that what the family is pushing for "is some recognition by Mass General that they are changing their policies." See video below...

Family sues MGH after woman dies in mix-up: MyFoxBOSTON.com

UPDATE  8-19-11: The plaintiff lawyer's trial report is now available on this lawsuit, which settled for $2.5 million. To read, click on: Medication Error Trial Report.