The Midwest Medical Legal Advisor provides legal information for healthcare providers and administrators, malpractice insurance professionals, and attorneys.
A success story: one clinic’s reduction of med-mal claims.
A hospital in Connecticut recently reported a drastic drop in both claims made and settlements paid after a safety training regime aided by the hospital’s med-mal insurer. In 2004, the hospital joined with its med-mal insurer in an effort to increase patient safety and in turn decrease claims made and [...]
John Hopkins to pay $190 million for spying doctor.
A recent report by CNN indicates that John Hopkins has agreed to a whooping $190 million settlement in a case involving a gynecologist who was alleged to have secretly photographed and recorded his more than 7000 patients. Dr. Nikita Levy was fired in February 2013 after the Baltimore based health care system [...]
Will Obamacare increase the cost for med-mal insurance?
A recent report by the Rand Corporation, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, concludes that the cost of medical malpractice insurance may actually increase under the Affordable Care Act a/k/a Obamacare. The increase could be up to 5% in some areas, although this is an early and [...]
Florida throws out caps in med mal cases
It's time for my somewhat regular update regarding the latest state to address the constitutionality of caps on damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. Previously, I have discussed Kansas and Missouri and their judicial treatment of such caps. In its recent decision, the Florida Supreme Court threw out the state's statutory [...]
Heineman vetos bill to give NPs more freedom
Gov. Dave Heineman vetoed Legislative Bill 916, which would have allowed nurse practitioners to practice without a supervising doctor. Currently, Nebraska state law requires nurse practitioners to have a practice agreement with a doctor. Gov. Heineman has made sure that continues. According to the Omaha World Herald, the supporters of [...]
Mandatory Vaccinations?
Vaccinations or rather, the lack thereof - has been a hot topic in the news lately. The media is reporting increased outbreaks of communicable diseases with the finger pointed at those individuals who choose to not vaccinate out of a fear, amongst others, that vaccinations cause autism. Studies conducted in [...]