Dr. Jack M. Chapman says MCG expansion is critical to meet the need for new doctors By Randy Key http://www.wjbf.com he President of the Georgia Medical Association says a doctor shortage is looming for the state. Doctor Jack Chapman spoke to the Augusta Exchange Club, on Thursday. Dr. Chapman says the state will be 2,500 […]

By JULIUS A. KARASH http://www.kansascity.com As costs and the numbers of uninsured keep trending upward, health care has emerged as the most important domestic issue of 2008. Here are PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institutes predictions for the top eight health industry issues of the coming year:

Health Plans Say New Rules Improve Safety and Cut Costs; Hospitals Can’t Dun Patients By VANESSA FUHRMANS http://online.wsj.com/ Health insurers are taking a new tack in a bid to improve patient safety and reduce health-care costs: refusing to pay — or let their patients be billed — for hospital errors. Aetna Inc., WellPoint Inc. and […]

http://www.pharmalot.com As part of a new policy that experts say is one of the toughest in the nation blocking drugmakers from influencing docs, SMDC Health System in Duluth, Minnesota, recently got rid of nearly every freebie with a drug company name on it, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. “We’re part of a leading trend that’s trying […]

The Leader-Post http://www.canada.com It is no surprise that Saskatchewan (like other provinces) is facing a physician deficit. Hindsight being “20/20” indicates that the slow increase in medical training seats that is taking place now should have been done years ago. As it can take up to 10 years to educate a physician, most educational institutions […]

By STATE REP. GLEN CASADA http://www.rctimes.com Tennessee-As the second half of the 105th General Assembly gets under way, the legislature is faced with how to solve many problems in the areas of education, the budget and immigration. However, one of the major problems brewing in this state is that of medical malpractice. Attempts were made […]

By Jason Stein http://www.madison.com An October raid on a state fund for injured patients has forced its managers to hit up Peter to pay Paul, borrowing tens of millions of dollars in cash — and paying interest — to meet its obligations, a state memo shows. The cash shortfall in the fund came in spite […]

http://www.namic.org/ Source: Conning Research & Consulting Medical malpractice insurance has been stable since its last market disruption in the early 2000s, and is now poised for continued profitable growth, according to a new study by Conning Research & Consulting, Inc.

Northeast Georgia Medical, other hospitals don’t want rules to change By Debbie Gilbert http://www.gainesvilletimes.com A slight change in the wording of Georgia’s malpractice reform law could make a big difference to hospitals and patients. The consumer advocacy group Georgia Watch is pushing for an amendment that would make it easier for patients to sue hospitals […]