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Patient Safety and Medical Malpractice
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
IN RESPONSE:
Dr. Gale's proposal for an injured patient superfund is an interesting concept and one that deserves further exploration.
The College is aggressively pushing for changes to the U.S. medical tort system. We are examining options such as a no-fault system, alternative dispute resolution, and enterprise liability.
Currently, we are primarily concerned with reforming the tort system by capping noneconomic damage awards (that is, awards for pain and suffering) at $250 000. Such a cap has already been successfully tested in California. A recent study by economist Kenneth Thorpe titled “The Medical Malpractice ‘Crisis’: Recent Trends and the Impact of State Tort Reforms,” which was published in Health Affairs(1), clearly demonstrated this fact. Mr. Thorpe's sweeping examination of past state tort reform efforts showed that the $250 000 cap is the most effective way to reduce rates of professional liability insurance premiums.
Given the multitude of financial pressures faced by physicians, and the need for immediate relief from high professional liability insurance premiums, we believe pursuing the $250 000 cap offers the best path to follow for the College.
Munsey S. Wheby, MD
Immediate Past President, American College of Physicians
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
