By Leland Kim http://www.khnl.com HAWAII STATE CAPITOL (KHNL) — Judiciary Committee Chair Tommy Waters (D-Lanikai, Waimanalo, Island of Kaula) held a controversial medical liability or tort reform bill in his hands Thursday. “It’s not doctors versus lawyers,” he said. “I know the proponents of the bill want to frame it that way. For me, it’s […]

By Jaclyn Youhana http://www.daily-journal.com Andrea Bennett’s regular doctor is not Terrill Applewhite. But when she goes to the hospital, that’s who she sees. Applewhite is a hospitalist, a doctor who takes over for the primary physician once a patient enters the hospital. That means when Bennett, 21, of Kankakee, needed a physical before her brain […]

By DENNIS CARDOZA and JIM COSTA http://www.modbee.com The San Joaquin Valley is facing a health care crisis, suffering from a physician shortage and a lack of adequate health care resources. Recent reports tell us the problem is worse than initially thought and likely to worsen. The best way to address this health care emergency is […]

By E.B. SOLOMONT http://www.nysun.com Health care organizations and physician groups will vie for the attention of state lawmakers this week, as thousands of health care lobbyists travel to Albany to weigh in on Governor Spitzer’s health care agenda. The main physician group in New York, the Medical Society of the State of New York, expects […]

Lewis S. Sharps, M.D., president, Positive Physicians Insurance Exchange – Paoli, Pa. http://blogs.usatoday.com USA TODAY’s story about the surgeon shortage hit the bull’s-eye. But numerous other issues are creating this situation (“Shortage of surgeons pinches U.S. hospitals,” Cover story, News, Tuesday). USA TODAY’s article overlooked the effect medical malpractice has on a region’s ability to […]

By The Herald-Dispatch Herald-Dispatch.com CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Group Practice Management Association will have its Spring Symposium  April 17-18 at the Marriott Hotel in Charleston, and its goal is to have every medical group practice manager attend, said Michael Sundall, the president of the association and HIMG Chief Executive Officer. The West Virginia Group […]

by FinCor Holdings Inc. http://www.earthtimes.org LANSING, Mich., Feb. 29 /PRNewswire/ — FinCor Holdings Inc., (http://www.fincorholdings.com/) a Lansing, Mich.-based holding company primarily focused on insurance protection for health care providers, today announced that A.M. Best has recently affirmed the “A-” (Excellent) financial strength rating for the company’s insurance subsidiary, MHA Insurance Company. The MHA Insurance Company […]

By SHELIA BYRD http://www.sunherald.com JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Senate has passed legislation that would limit how much a Medicaid patient could receive from a physician in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Supporters proposal say the proposal would help attract and retain doctors to serve Medicaid patients. But critics said the bill, which passed 27-18 Wednesday, […]

By Eric Eyre http://sundaygazettemail.com Don’t tell neurosurgeon Dr. John Schmidt that the recent $25 million jury award against Charleston Area Medical Center won’t harm patient care. Schmidt says he sees equipment every day that needs to be fixed at the hospital. “Go to any floor, and you’ll see something broken,” Schmidt told CAMC trustees Wednesday. […]