Report disputes claims of physicians leaving state

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 11:01 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A new study contradicts claims that doctors are closing their offices en masse in Nevada because of rising medical malpractice insurance rates and it says that more than 300 new licenses were issued last year for physicians.

Only 35 doctors, including six obstetricians, shut their offices in Nevada in 2002, the legislative report revealed today. And some of those doctors are still working.

The report is at odds with the findings of the Nevada State Medical Association that in January said 76 medical specialists have shut their practices. And it disputes the statements by a group of Las Vegas physicians who maintain there is an "exodus of doctors from the state."

There had also been prior press reports that more than 30 obstetricians in Clark County have stopped delivering babies or have moved elsewhere.

The legislative report, by the research division of the Legislature, said that 335 new licenses were issued to physicians in Nevada last year.

The survey will fuel added fire to the debate in the Legislature over an initiative petition by a group of physicians called "Keep Our Doctors in Nevada" that seeks to tighten down further on the medical malpractice laws.

The group says there has been a "mass departure of qualified physicians" from Nevada.

Dr. Rudy Manthei, head of Keep Our Doctors in Nevada, said statistics "can be thrown around by anyone." Still, he said the state is 47th in the nation in the doctor-patient ratio. Manthei said he relies on the figures released by the medical association.

He said he has talked with many groups that say they can't recruit "real good doctors" because of the malpractice climate. "I don't care if you have a million doctors," said Manthei. "With the good doctors you have better outcomes."

Manthei said the real problem is the escalating cost of health care. He said many people now cannot afford medical treatments. He said, "We need to fix the lawsuit abuses." And the state Medical Examiners Board must give closer supervision over the doctors who are guilty of malpractice.

And the insurance companies, he said, have to start taking action to correct the problem.

Scott Craigie, a lobbyist for "Keep Our Doctors in Nevada" said there are still "critical shortages" in certain areas of medical practice.

Larry Matheis, executive director of the Nevada State Medical Association, could not be reached for comment.

Bill Bradley of the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association, said the study shows the doctors "are not fleeing the state in a mass exodus."

"Unfortunately a handful of doctors have promoted exaggerated statistics to further their efforts to limit the rights of victims who have been badly injured," Bradley said.

The issuance of more than 300 new licenses to doctors last year shows "Nevada is still a good place to practice the honored profession of medicine," Bradley said.

The statistics for the legislative study were gathered from the state Board of Medical Examiners that licenses physicians. The board was able to contact 66 of the doctors who were listed by the medical association as having closed or planning to close their practice.

Of the 35 who closed their offices, the board said 19 have left the state. Bradley said the question still to be answered is why the doctors left Nevada. There may be other reasons beside the medical malpractice rates.

The study said two of the 35 doctors are continuing to work at local medical facilities. One of the 35 is taking a leave of absence until later this year.

Twelve of the 35 doctors retired, including one who has left the state.

The examiners board said some of the physicians listed in the medical association survey "as retiring indicated that they are still working, planning on returning to work after finishing an educational program or when a position with a particular agency opens up, or working as consultants."

One additional doctor is not retired but has stopped practicing otolaryngology due to medical malpractice costs, said the board.

Five other physicians, three of whom practice in the area of emergency medicine, reported a change of address, and the examiners board said it is "unclear whether these physicians may still be practicing, but at another location."

The "Keep Our Doctors in Nevada" coalition has gathered more than 95,000 signatures on the initiative petition that is now before the Legislature. The lawmakers must approve it by March 14 or it goes on the election ballot in 2004.

Meanwhile a consumers group called "Nevadans for Quality Health Care" announced its opposition to the initiative petition today.

Jan Gilbert, liaison for the group, said placing a $350,000 cap on pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases is "a form of class warfare."

"Children, seniors and low income workers are not hotshot six-figure executives who can show economic damages; however, they do have pain and suffering that often lasts a lifetime."

Paul Brown, a member of the group, said doctor organizations have been claiming that 200 doctors have left Nevada or retired early because of the medical malpractice rates.

"The other side has exaggerated its case by 400 percent," Brown said today.