W.Va. Doctors Stage Med-Mal Protest

Surgeons at four West Virginia hospitals began a protest against the high cost of medical malpractice insurance by refusing to perform surgeries. According to the Associated Press, the doctors took leaves of absence from the hospitals, causing at least one patient to be transferred 90 miles to another hospital for an operation.

General, orthopedic and heart surgeons are upset because in their view the state has done too little to address rising insurance costs.

At Wheeling Hospital 18 of 19 surgeons plan to take 30-day leaves of absence, and 11 have asked for leave from Weirton Medical Center. Two other hospitals said surgeons there were taking leave, but it was unclear how many.

Although emergency rooms at the affected hospitals are open, few emergency surgeons are available. Patients requiring emergency surgery will be transferred 90 miles away to Morgantown or to hospitals in neighboring Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The AP reported that surgeons are seeking legislation that would make it harder to file malpractice lawsuits, and they want the state to seek help from insurance companies and other third parties to pay a larger share of their medical costs.

Topics Virginia