December 16, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Linda Quick, 800-624-3365
David Berman, 954-525-1040

Malpractice Insurance Crisis Supported by South Florida Specific Research

Research confirms that the physicians in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties either are or will be limiting services due to increasing cost of malpractice insurance. Over 1500 doctors responded to a survey designed and conducted by RCH Healthcare Advisors LLC, an impressive 17% response rate. The results indicate that the kind of anecdotal information about changes in physician practices is supported by the data.

• Many physicians are thinking about closing their practice, retiring early, or moving to another State. Fifty-four respondents (4.0 percent of those who answered this question) report that they have already taken this action. An additional 34 percent (n=462) report they are considering this option.

• Many physicians have already stopped offering high-risk procedures or treating high-risk patients, a fact that has even more serious consequences in terms of patient access. Over 41 percent (n=517) of physicians who answered the question responded that they had ceased to offer some high-risk procedures; an additional 15 percent (n=189) are considering this action.

• Many physicians are also cutting back on staff and delaying the purchase of equipment to conserve resources. About 41 percent of the respondents (n=647) indicate they have already taken these actions while another 11 percent (n=172) are considering it.

• Physicians are also limiting their practice in settings outside their office. Almost 31 percent of the respondents (n=482) indicate they have already limited their practice in hospital emergency rooms while another 6 percent (n=87) are considering it. About 16 percent (n=256) have already limited their practice in nursing homes while another 2 percent (n=30) are considering it. And about 11 percent (n=172) have already limited their practice in ambulatory surgery centers while another 2 percent (n=23) are considering it.

Another set of questions in the survey addressed the myth that only bad doctors are sued. By contrast, a remarkable 100% of responding neurosurgeons and vascular surgeons in the sample had been sued at least once. In fact, Neurosurgeons have the highest number of lawsuits, with an average of over 5.2 per physician. Over 94 percent of cardiovascular or thoracic surgeons (n=17) have been sued; over 90 percent of general surgeons (n=63); almost 89 percent of radiologists (n=27); and over 78 percent of obstetrician/gynecologists (n=84) have been sued at least once.

RCH Healthcare Advisors, LLC, is a subsidiary of Rachlin, Cohen & Holtz, CPA, and serves as consultants to doctors, clinics, hospitals and other health industry professionals and institutions. The research study was conducted for Floridians for Quality Affordable Healthcare, a political committee founded by South Florida Doctors and Hospitals in pursuit of legislative and/or constitutional reform of the medical professional liability system in Florida.