US medical liability crisis spurs doctors' walkouts and rallies
BMJ 2003; 326 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7381.126/g (Published 18 January 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;326:126- Fred Charatan
- Florida
Four hospitals in West Virginia were forced to transfer patients to hospitals in other states earlier this month after more than two dozen surgeons stopped work in protest against soaring malpractice insurance premiums.
Their action, part of a growing protest movement in the United States by doctors angry about their insurance premiums, coincided with a strike in France by obstetricians and gynaecologists over the same issue (11 January, p 68). Doctors in many western countries are finding it increasingly hard to meet the cost of malpractice insurance.
“My malpractice rates are higher than any other physician's for the same practice in any other state in the union,” said …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £173 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£38 / $45 / €42 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.