Bill Would Create Liability Fund for Rural Doctors
Such a fund would attract and retain physicians and nurse practitioners to work in rural communities
April 15, 2011--A bill that would extend funding for the Oregon Rural Medical Liability Program passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, and is headed to a floor vote.
Senate Bill 608 establishes a program that will create a funding pool to pay for professional liability coverage for medical professionals practicing in rural areas. It would help approximately the 800 doctors and nurse practitioners who provide care in rural Oregon. The bill is asking that approximately $5 million be spent for this biennium.
The money would come out of the state’s general fund. Previously, the State Accident Insurance Fund Corporation (SAIF) provided such revenue as a result of House Bill 3630, which was enacted in 2003. That bill created a similar program, which comes to an end in December. Approximately $20 million was spent over the last seven years.
Advocates argue that the program is essential because it retains and attracts physicians to rural areas.
“It’s one of the few tools we have to encourage rural physicians and nurse practitioners to continue practicing in an environment where they typically work more hours and earn a lower income then they would in an urban setting, or in another state,” testified Scott Ekblad, director of the Oregon Office of Rural Health.
“The liability piece is substantial when it comes to making the decision about whether or not to stay in a rural practice,” said Dr. Kevin Johnston, a family physician in Burns.
“My salary remains below average for the state, so [having my malpractice insurance paid] makes it easier for me to stay in practice in this rural area,” said Kathy Kolb Moon, a family nurse practitioner at Reedsports’ Dunes Family Health Care.
The bill has wide support from the Oregon Nurses’ Association, the Oregon Medical Association, Coalition for a Healthy Oregon, Oregon Society of Physician Assistants, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, and faces no opposition.
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I think this is sounds good on paper, but I was the patient of a Dr in La Grande who didn't want to treat me for 2 reasons: I suffer with chronic pain (which means he had to deal with narcotic Rx) and I'm on the Oregon Health Plan. His employer told him he didn't have a choice, that he had to treat patients such as me. So, he made me sign a pain contract and started lieing in my medical records. I had a procedure done in a Portland area hospital and got a severe staph infection but didn't know that's what it was. I was in terrible pain on the way back to La Grande & was breaking out in a rash. My Mother went in to his office to have the nurse come out to the van to look at me (as I'm disabled & in an electric wheelchair so getting me loaded & inside would have been a long task and it was almost 5 pm). When the Dr. came out of the exam room and hear my Mom talking to his Nurse, he jumped on the chance to cancel my care saying that I broke the pain contact by showing up without an apointment! He then told us that he was going to change my narforcotic to one that I would take around the clock and on a tapering schedule so I wouldn't go through withdrawls because it would be both illegal and unethical if he took me off of the nacotics "cold turkey", that he would taper me slowly in 30 days giving me 10 day supply of pills at a time. He only gave me the first bottle of pills, BUT wrote the Rx for the next 2 and both times as soon as the Rxs reached the pharmacy, he picked up the phone and cancelled his Rx! But, he told the ER Doctors who were trying to treat me for the severe narcotic withdrawls feelings of suicide that he had prescribed the meds & I was just a drug seaking addict! Because of THIS Dr, no other Dr in my hometown will treat me, except in the ER! I have even taken the proof of this to the hospital Administrator, HIS EMPLOYER; and was told that he operated perfectly within the guidelines of the hospital! EVEN though, every time one of the other Doctors tried to treat me humanely, he cancelled their treatment! Because the Hospital owns the clinic in town, ther's a monopoly on health care hear. If you've been cancelled by one Dr. in the clinic, none of the others will see you. I also believe that when he cancelled me, he called the one other clinic that has only 3 Doctors because whenever I've tried to get in there to be seen, they refuse me saying that there isn't anything they can do for me.
I have asked that my medical records be repaired also, from the offendind Dr. and am told that they won't replace what he has said that I "claim is in error" but is I wish to got through my chart item by item and write what I'm in dispute with, they will add my notes to my chart. I know that if another Doctor were to look at a chart like this, the reality of the matter is they are going to believe the word of another Doctor over a patient, especially a patient who is accused of being an adict! I have many other medical complications and I just think it is CRIMINAL that a Doctor who has taken an oath to treat his patients is getting away with this and that the hospital doesn't have any higher standards for thier employees!
Yes, we need an incentive for Doctors to come to rural communities; but perhaps NOT "Get Out Of Jail Free Cards!". I don't know what the "RIGHT" solution is.
Submitted by- Things should be better in Rural Oregon
I think this bill is a great idea for this region - like the article states, it is often difficult to retain doctors and nurses in rural areas, so offering help with the medical malpractice coverage. This same idea is being thrown around in urban areas with high claims rates (see http://www.equotemd.com/blog ). Areas like Chicago, New York, have a difficult time retaining doctors because of the high volume of medical malpractice claims they will inevitably face. Perhaps if doctors and hospital staff feel that they are being protected in terms of liability coverage, they will be more attracted to these regions, and less likely to practice overly-defensive medicine...which let's face it drives up medical care costs for all.
-Farah
The correction has been made. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
Amanda
Hi Amanda. Dr. Kevin Johnston of Burns is a family physician, not an obstetrician.