Facing the malpractice crisis: academic physicians' willingness to accept quick fix solutions.

South Med J

Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, B2N, Rom 235, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.

Published: December 2006

Background: We sought to determine the willingness of academic physicians to accept strategies to contain institutional malpractice costs.

Methods: We surveyed all 270 Department of Medicine physicians at a large academic center. Respondents were asked about their knowledge regarding malpractice premiums, willingness to reduce patient-care activities and accept decreases in compensation.

Results: The response rate was 80%. Respondents estimated the annual increase in malpractice premiums from 2004 to 2005 to be 29%. The true increase was 28% (P = 0.55). Almost all opposed eliminating patient care (95%) or providing patient care every other year at double effort and withdrawing from patient care on alternate years (97%). Seventy percent would limit their clinical procedures. Most physicians opposed salary reduction (97%) or decreases in fringe benefits (99%).

Conclusions: Few academic physicians are willing to limit patient care or accept decreases in compensation to recoup institutional malpractice costs.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.smj.0000235483.54376.18DOI Listing

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