Doctors seek cure for crisis

The Mahoning Valley has lost 30 doctors to high insurance costs.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR HEALTH WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Medical societies in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties are working together to raise awareness of how frivolous malpractice suits are forcing skilled physicians and surgeons to leave or discontinue their Mahoning Valley practices.
The physicians kicked off a media campaign, "Where Does It Hurt?," this morning at the former offices of Dr. Joseph A. Colella, 8262 South Ave.
Dr. Colella, a peripheral vascular surgeon who was born and reared in Youngstown, recently closed his practice because of the medical malpractice insurance cost. He moved to Wisconsin, known as a doctor-friendly state because it doesn't have a liability insurance crisis.
Losses here
The Mahoning Valley has lost 30 doctors because of the prohibitive cost of malpractice insurance, and at least 20 more are considering closing their practices, said Dr. Marc S. Saunders, president of the Mahoning County Medical Society.
"We're in a crisis situation. Ample access to quality health care is under threat. Because so many frivolous suits are being filed in the area, liability premiums are going through the roof, forcing skilled physicians to relocate, retire or stop doing certain critical procedures, such as delivering babies," Dr. Saunders said.
A few years ago, 12 companies offered medical malpractice insurance in Ohio, said Dr. Thomas Kaminski, president of the Trumbull County Medical Society. Now, there are five -- the others left because they were losing millions of dollars, he said. As a result, premiums have skyrocketed over the past several years.
Northeast Ohio has the highest medical malpractice rates in the state.
Range of rates
For example, according to the Ohio Department of Insurance, a neurosurgeon in the tri-county area paid between $118,251 and $199,647 in 2003 for malpractice insurance. In Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati, the rates range from $82,815 to $102,930 for a neurosurgeon. There are similar disparities in other medical areas, such as obstetrics-gynecology, family-general practice and general and orthopedic surgeries, according to ODI.
Dr. Saunders believes a big part of the problem are frivolous suits that never get anywhere. Every time a doctor is sued, even if the case is dropped, the average cost per doctor named is $27,000. If 10 doctors are named in the suit, the insurance company pays out $270,000 on average, resulting in higher insurance premiums, he said.
"The shotgun approach of naming doctors in suits is an abuse of the legal system. It results in exorbitant insurance costs," Dr. Kaminski said.
It also drives up the cost of health care, because doctors, fearing lawsuits, practice defensive medicine by ordering more tests and more procedures, and making more referrals to specialists.
The first step in correcting the problem is making people aware that it exists, Dr. Kaminski said.
"A lot of doctors grew up here and have made commitments to patients here. No one wants to leave. This is not a questions of a new car or bigger house. All we want to be able to do is take care of our patients, deliver their babies, operate on them and help them grow older," Dr. Saunders said.
"We're hoping the public becomes aware and helps by urging their legislators to take action so more doctors won't be lost."
alcorn@vindy.com