detrimentally affected by the medical liability crisis, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) will be present on Capitol Hill during the Senate's proposed tort reform discussion to show its complete support of this movement.
"We thank the Senate Leadership for reaffirming their commitment to ensure access to care for all Americans by addressing this escalating problem," said Stuart L. Weinstein, MD, president of AAOS and chairman of Doctors for Medical Liability Reform (DMLR). "Not only do we fully support the Senate's efforts regarding the need for medical liability reform, but we are also committed to working with them to find a solution to this problem."
Despite the fact that musculoskeletal conditions are the No. 1 reason that Americans visit the doctor each year, increasing liability premiums have forced more than half of the country's orthopaedic surgeons to alter their practices. Access to care is limited because orthopaedic surgeons have stopped seeing trauma patients, eliminated high risk procedures, closed offices and retired early. Fifty-five percent of orthopaedic surgeons now avoid at least some procedures; 39 percent no longer perform spine surgery; and six percent have eliminated all surgery. All high-risk specialty physicians have made similar alterations in their practices, placing two-thirds of the emergency rooms in this country at risk because of lack of availability of on-call specialty coverage.
"Healthcare delivery should be equal across the country. All citizens deserve equal protection under the law, both in compensation for negligent injury and timely access to healthcare," says Weinstein. "The medical liability crisis requires federal legislation."
Source: American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons