<p>In was referring to MDs cherry picking their cases and also dumping pts to the ER. Some MDs use the ER as an extension to their personal private practice. I have been an RN for over 30 years and there has been a gradual shift in MDs general to a sense of apathy in their practice. Now hospitalists take care of admitted patients and primary care providers no longer see their patients in the hospital. At first their was major protest, now that is the way it goes. I no longer see the hunger or enthusiasm of getting that challenging patients anymore. I understand the challenges of what lawsuits have done to the practice of medicine, but it’s only going to get worse. insurance cos are cherry picking everything. Everything is now based on quality and compliance. If hospitals and MD don’t compy with what their standards are, according to the numbers, they will deny payment.
Historically, If MDs or hospitals were in the practice of policing their own, maybe some of this would not be an issue. I’m not sure. But it ain’t no fun working in this field anymore.</p>
<p>“It’s not about the ethics or about the hippocratic oath, it’s about the lawyers, pure and simple. Obese patient = likely risk of complications = lawsuit. So, docs won’t see them.”</p>
<p>I think that’s an oversimplification. Even if you removed the risk of lawsuits, a lot of doctors simply dislike treating obese patients. In particular, surgeries and other procedures are more inconvenient and difficult on an obese patient. Few surgeons want to deal with retracting and reaching through several inches of fat while trying to get the procedure done. Bluntly stated, it’s a pain in the neck.</p>
<p>I guess you can’t do any harm if you don’t do anything, eh? This discussion makes me sad. (And I am not the least bit obese - it just really bothers me) I don’t like to handle many of the issues I have to deal with in my job, but I do because the people with those issues need my attention as much as the ones who are easier or more pleasant to handle.</p>
<p>It may not be about the lawyers … it may be lack of political will to face tort reform. I feel badly for the parents. But $58,000,000 is quite the punishment for a “delay” in performing surgery.</p>
<p>I’m sure the jury heard all the evidence, both sides had excellent lawyers, they saw an 8-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who will never walk or talk, found sufficient evidence that the doctor was guilty of malpractice (and I BET he’s still practicing!), and acted accordingly.</p>
<p>The State Medical Board isn’t going to protect us. The Attorney General isn’t going to protect us. The insurance companies sure as hell aren’t going to protect us. Thank heavens for the lawyers - and a jury that sees it for what it was.</p>
<p>^^mini - I’m not arguing any of that. On another thread barrons posted the story of an unfortunate UWisconsin student who was run over by a texting 20-year-old. The victim was killed instantly. It’s unlikely even $1 million will change hands in that case. That’s simply the tort system we have today.</p>