Re: IUFD IN U.S.A
From: Jane Helwig, MD, FACOG (jane@seasonedsystems.com)
Sun Apr 30 13:27:46 2000
Try the "Hired Guns -- Intermittent Auscultation" thread in February
1999.
At Sun, 30 Apr 2000, Dean Huffman wrote:
>
>By the way, there was a thread a few years back about a well known MFM who
>"sold out", cashed in on his reputation, and started testifying to anything
>the highest bidder wanted, whether or not it was a the truth. Does anybody
>remember who he is, or can they point me to the posts (or give me a general
>date). I have tried finding those posts through the obgyn.net search
>engine, but I have not yet been successful.
>
>Is he still around and is he still testifying? Has he been sanctioned?
>
>--
>Dean Huffman
>
>- - - -
>
>At Tue, 25 Apr 2000, D. Ashley Hill, MD wrote: >
>>At Tue, 25 Apr 2000, Ronnie Martinez Brignardello wrote:
>>>what a case!!
>>>amazing USA obstetricsystem
>>
>>> RModugno@aol.com wrote:
>>>> Ron, the most troubling aspect of this case is that in the USA, in the
>year
>>>> 2000, a pregnant woman who has noticed decreased fetal movements cannot
>get
>>>> to see a physician because she is "not their patient" with subsequent
>demise
>>>> of her fetus.
>>
>>Ronnie and Robert-
>>
>>In our practice, which is a hybrid academic/private practice, we "take
>>them as they come" and see patients regardless of gestational age or
>>complications. Sadly, this makes us a target for malpractice lawyers.
>>Good care will often preclude malpractice cases, but not always. Many
>>of the "private" ob/gyn physicians in our community have been named in
>>malpractice cases, and are very reluctant to take on high-risk cases.
>>They send these patients to us. Further, in Florida, malpractice law
>>essentially dictates that everyone who comes in contact with the patient
>>is named in the suit. I know of a number of ob/gyns in the area who
>>were named in lawsuits only because they were walking through the labor
>>unit and were asked to step in the room to help a colleague with a bad
>>shoulder dystocia. Also, one colleague was recently dropped from a
>>large HMO due to a malpractice case, despite the fact the case was
>>ridiculous and was finally dropped.
>>
>>Fear of a multimillion dollar lawsuit, including inclusion in the
>>national malpractice data bank with subsequent damage to one's
>>reputation and ability to make a living, has causes many of our
>>colleagues to refuse to see patients later in pregnancy or when they
>>have certain high-risk complications. It has also caused many fine
>>ob/gyns to leave obstetrics.
>>
>>It is easy to say that taking care of every ill patient is part of being
>>a doctor, until one has been the victim of a frivolous lawsuit for doing
>>just that. Our international colleagues likely have no idea about the
>>oppressive malpractice situation in the United States, and I imagine it
>>is hard for them to understand why we are so concerned about lawsuits.
>>In the US when a doctor is successfully sued his or her name is entered
>>into a national data bank, which is accessible by hospitals, state
>>medical societies, and other entities. Some states are publishing legal
>>information on the Internet for patient access. And, some HMOs will
>>drop doctors if they have been sued. I recall that about 80% of US
>>ob/gyns have been sued at least once, so this is a problem that affects
>>most of us. Although I have mixed feelings about obstetricians refusing
>>care for high-risk obstetric patients such as those with no fetal
>>movement, I acknowledge that until the malpractice burden is eased that
>>many of our colleagues will continue to hide from high-risk cases,
>>rather than expose themselves to potential lawsuits.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>--
>>David Ashley Hill, MD
>>Associate Director
>>Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
>>Florida Hospital Family Practice Residency
>>http://home.mpinet.net/dahmd
>>
--
Jane Helwig, MD, FACOG
Private practice
Nassawadox, VA
