By David Phelps, Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com Worried about the rising number of CT scans, MRIs and other high-tech imaging procedures showing up on medical bills, Minnesota’s largest insurers now want doctors to get permission from a third-party evaluator before ordering such procedures for their patients. As medical imaging centers and expensive machines proliferate, insurers say […]

http://www.asu.edu Despite recent gains in the number of physicians practicing in Arizona , the state is likely to face a persistent physician shortage for years to come, particularly in rural areas. A report completed recently by ASU’s Center for Health & Information Research (CHIR) found the physician-to-population ratio improving, but it also shows that an […]

http://www.joplinindependent.com Do you have an outstanding, caring physician in your community that deserves the title “Missouri Family Physician of the Year?” The Missouri Academy of Family Physicians is now seeking nominations for for the award to be presented June 9, 2007, during MAFP’s annual banquet meeting in Lake Ozark. Nominations may be made by the […]

DAVE PARKS News staff writer http://www.al.com Dr. Drake Lavender wears many stethoscopes as a family physician practicing medicine in rural Alabama. He sees 15 to 20 patients a day at the Pickens County Family Practice Center in Gordo, then heads over to the Pickens County Medical Center in Carrollton, where he makes rounds, helps staff […]

By Daniel Connolly http://www.commercialappeal.com Legislation to limit medical malpractice lawsuits will likely be introduced in the Tennessee legislature again this year, but just as previous efforts have failed, some lawmakers predict there will be strong opposition again. Any change to laws related to medical mistakes could affect thousands of doctors, attorneys and patients. Malpractice reform […]

By Carl Hamilton http://www.cecilwhig.com A doctor shortage continues to hamper Cecil County, two years after the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to reduce the soaring cost of medical malpractice insurance. “We’re still way down,â€? said Dr. Jose Ma, vice president of medical affairs at Union Hospital in Elkton. Doctors specializing in obstetrics, which typically includes […]

By Eric T. Berkman http://www.masslaw.com A neurologist could bring a malicious prosecution suit against an insurer who had unsuccessfully sued him for medical malpractice, the Supreme Judicial Court has ruled. A Superior Court judge had dismissed the plaintiff physician’s suit, finding that the defendant insurer had probable cause to sue him based on statements from […]

— For many patients on treatment waiting limits nationwide, higher prescribing limit expands access to FDA-approved, in-office medical treatment — RICHMOND, Va., /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — President Bush has signed into law an amendment to the Controlled Substances Act that will increase the availability of buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence/addiction. The new law raises from […]

BY VALERIE MILLER http://www.lvbusinesspress.com Las Vegans who feel they’ve been victims of medical malpractice may have a tough time finding an experienced lawyer. Veteran plaintiffs’ attorneys are leaving the field or dramatically limiting the cases they take, in the wake of tort reform and dwindling jury awards. Big-name plaintiffs’ firms, such as Crockett & Myers, […]