Letter: Public must push for tort reform in medical field
Wednesday, March 6, 2002 | 8:41 a.m.
Thank you so much for Brian Greenspun's Feb. 19 column, "State's medical mess." As a practicing cardiologist in Nevada, recent events have given us all great heartache.
Nevada's doctors have felt overwhelmed by recent events. Unfortunately, as doctors concentrating on medical care, we are poorly organized to tackle the lawyers' lobby or the intricacies of the legislative process. Smug letters from attorneys insisting on the unrestricted right to sue to infinity have made things untenable for many doctors in Nevada.
Without some tort reform, things will continue to escalate until many of the outstanding doctors have left for other states with a more reasonable legal environment. Contrary to public perception, doctors can't simply increase rates to offset increased expenses.
I am not an expert, but most patients seem happy with their doctors. The actual number of lawsuits in Nevada is less than 200. Those few lawsuits, with far higher comparative awards than in other states, are driving the cost of insurance so high that ultimately public access to medical care will suffer. The time for public outcry and action is now.
The public needs to realize that they have to effect a choice. Either continue without tort reform and watch medical care and access suffer for all, or do something, and help Nevada's medical system.
With no action, we all end up with what we may unfortunately deserve, fantastic legal representation for a very few, and drastically poorer medical care, with a shortage of talented doctors, for all.
SAMUEL GREEN
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Live Blog: Pacquiao wins by TKO in round twelve
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao: The only fight fans want to see
- Bruised and battered, Cotto says he will fight again
- Boulder City struggles with shocking allegations
- Construction goes bust, equipment goes on auction block
- Temperatures plunge in Las Vegas
- Live game blog: Rebels open season with 91-52 victory against Pittsburg State
- Reid under microscope as lawmakers debate abortion
- Thunderbirds wow crowd at Nellis AFB air show
- UNLV pounds D-II Pitt State, 91-52, in opener
Blogs
Elsewhere
Pacquiao-Mayweather at Yankee Stadium in May?
The Coin Bucket
Planet Hollywood offers $60 rooms -- 10 rooms at a time (1 Comment)
Elsewhere
Nogueira injured, Evans v. Silva to headline 108
Politics: The Early Line
Lawmakers on standby to get health care bill
Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch
Is Donny Osmond’s wife jealous? Is Julianne Hough returning?
Elsewhere
Deutsche Bank drowning in Vegas on Cosmopolitan (15 Comments)
Sands to open Macau resort by 2011, rooms to triple
Calendar »
- 16 Mon
- 17 Tue
- 18 Wed
- 19 Thu
- 20 Fri
-
Lily Tomlin at the Hollywood Theatre
Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand
-
The Automatic Tour at The Square Apple
The Square Apple
-
Football specials at Diablo's
Diablos Cantina
-
Rhumbar presents Pink Sugar Mondays
The Mirage Hotel and Casino
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati






