These 98,000 people are conveniently forgotten about in this whole Tort reform debate.
Also conveniently forgotten is that only 1% of total health care costs go towards fraudulent malpractice claims.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/09/trial_lawyers_f.html
http://www.98000reasons.org/
The only reason why Republicans have a grudge against trial lawyers is because the majority of them contribute donations to the Democratic party.
98, 000 people each year die from medical malpractice - FACT.
Boston.com is the web address for the newspaper Boston Globe.
Very well known newspaper.
So your basically saying the patient deserves no rights? That the doctor and insurance company will not be responsible if something goes wrong?
Besides, like I said...only 1% of total health care costs are due to malpractice claims.
Remember, the health care industry makes up 14% of our total GDP, it's a multi-trillion dollar industry! A few million dollars here and there hardly makes a difference.
Prove me wrong Pro Con.
Between 44,000 and 98,000 is still a large number. So the difference is between one and two Boeing jets crashing each day. Still quite shocking.
pdooma: Actually the 98,000 figure is from the Institute of Medicine.
Drew Bloodsd
maybe insurance rates and doctor visits would be as high as they are if people wouldn't sue for tens of millions of dollars for breast implants that were one size too big.
Pro Con
Don't you mean 98,000 who's families claim medical malpractice?
I don't mean to be picky, but you do know that Boston is the San Francisco of the East Coast right? A site named Boston.com does not impress me, nor does a site named 98000reasons.
Got anything else... CDC? AMA? WHO?
EDIT
Oh, well! Now you've used the word "FACT" and in all caps no less!
I guess it must be true then.
EDIT
Geez! Your second web site is owned and operated by the American Association of Trial Lawyers. Boston.com is mearly quoting them and making no claim of their own. Do you see any motivation for attorneys to make a web site that discourages tort reform? Do attorneys ever lie? LOL
I will accept your claim if you come up with something legitimate to support it. Meanwhile, I'll remain skeptical. You made the claim-you do the legwork!
EDIT
I'm certain there isn't a single Republican on this forum that would say that victims of malpractice shouldn't be reasonably compensated and their lawyers be paid.
Trouble is, punitive damages are out of control. In fact, punitive damages, while they make up much of the cost of litigation in medical cases, are only a small cost compared to the defensive medicine doctors and hospitals are forced to engage in due to fears of litigation. And that doesn't even take into consideration the mountains of paperwork now generated to cover one's butt!
I'm not anti-attorney. I'm pro sensible health care reform.
Trust and Believe
You're correct. Those people would have lived forever anyway.. they all died because of George Bush.. everything bad that happens in the world is because of a republican.. brilliant logic!
PJ
So, call your represenative and speak up if you think we need tort reform IN ADDITION to health insurance reform.
I think we need both. If people don't speak out, loudly, nothing will get done.
TyranusXX
Well this idea that everyone can live forever is just rediculus!!
I look at things this way , what if there were NO Doctors at all?? You would just simply DIE when some medical treatment was needed.
A doctor making a mistake doesn't warrent Millions and Millions in damage, that is the issue. Pay all the medical expenses and lose of wages for the rest of a persons life but why should a doctor have to pay millions for punitive and suffering crap , most of which the Lawyer will get anyway!!
You do realize that EVERY country that has socialized medicine has some form of tort reform , they can't very well have everyone suing the government
"the health care industry makes up 14% of our total GDP"
GREAT!! and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE JOBS is an American JOB! Not an overseas job!
Obamanable Faux Man
It would be interesting to see how the figure 98,000 is calculated.
From the Institute of Medicine -- still looking. It's not surprising the number used is the max:
"Health care in the United States is not as safe as it should be--and can be.At least 44,000 people,and PERHAPS AS MANY as 98,000 people,die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented,according to estimates from two major studies."
Edit 1:
The first report drawing conclusions to this data is from 1999
To Err is Human:
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309068371
"The common initial reaction when is to find and blame an error occurs someone. However, even apparently single events or errors are due most often to the convergence of multiple contributing factors. Blaming an individual does not change these factors and the same error is likely to recur. Preventing errors and improving safety for patients require a systems approach in order to modify the conditions that contribute to errors. People working in health care are among the most educated and dedicated workforce in any industry. The problem is not bad people; the problem is that the system needs to be made safer."
In 2000, Clinton created safeguards backed by annual funding to address these problems.
Edit 2:
"Medical errors can be defined as the failure of a planned action to be completed as intended or the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim. Among the problems that commonly occur during the course of providing health care are adverse drug events and improper transfusions, surgical injuries and wrong-site surgery, suicides, restraint-related injuries or death, falls, burns, pressure ulcers, and mistaken patient identities. High error rates with serious consequences are most likely to occur in intensive care units, operating rooms, and emergency departments."
The 8-page report:
http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/4/117/ToErr-8pager.pdf
Edit 3:
Most of the errors as reported occur in high traffic, high stress and high speed environments. It's not like these doctors are operating on cars and have a few days to complete their task -- each issue rolling through the hospitals doors is different and they must be handled correctly while everyone involved is up against the clock.
That's not to say the dumb mistakes shouldn't be addressed...they should be and they have been since the release of "To Err is Human" in 1999.
1. adverse drug events
2. improper transfusions
3. wrong-site surgery
4. suicides
5. mistaken patient identities
I have to say, when any website compares death to the crashing of 737's (emotional appeal -- preying upon a well-known fear)...their claims should be questioned. Hopefully you'll take the opportunity to read through the studies I've posted. I think it paints a slightly more responsible approach to the issues and brings light to the complexities and realities faced w/in the health care industry.
Rush's@$ $
It is funny how you list the article from the Boston Globe. Being that the state of Mass. public medial care is going bankrupt and does not work. The same system that is trying to be forced on America
End_Libtardation
Stop cherry-picking your statistics.
pdooma
You're quoting an ad from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America?
Honestly, dude, time to get some healthy skepticism about these "facts".
"The ads, running in Washington publications and on online news sites, say the estimated 98,000 deaths from preventable medical errors is "like two 737s crashing every day for a whole year."
But the ad concludes: "Would we blame the passengers or the airlines?"
The group, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, also has a website on the issue."
From your own cited article.
BTW - There's a significant difference between Malpractice and Medical Error.
Obastro
What I don't connect here is how government health care will lower malpractice.
It certainly may lower malpractice cases, after all "you can't fight city hall" but, it won't lower malpractice. If anything it will increase it.
Why provide good care, when the patient has no recourse if you don't?
Are we depending on the goodness of others? That isn't what is proven by history.
When a person can sue his Dr., and when the Dr. has to provide good care to keep his business things work as they should.
Those are the inherent checks and balances of the Capitalist system.
Orignal From: What about the 98,000 who die each year from medical malpractice?
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