Medical Malpractice Summit Brings Together Doctors And Lawyers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A health care summit on medical malpractice was held at the Hyatt on Delaware Avenue, yesterday. Doctors and lawyers gathered to discuss issues and possible Pennsylvania tort reform.
Doctor Peter Kowey (pictured), cardiologist at Main Line Health organized the event. He said the current system encourages doctors to practice what he calls "defensive medicine," ordering more tests than necessary to protect them from malpractice lawsuits.
"No one is disputing that patients deserve to be compensated for medical mistakes," Kowey said. "The process shouldn't go on for years. It should be a process that could be handled relatively quickly. And without a lot of overhead that's attached to civil litigation, we should be able to actually deliver more money to patients who have been harmed rather than less."
The Consumers for Civil Justice, a patient advocacy group, believes reform should be directed at developing and supporting patient safety. The group also wants reform that forces insurance companies to open their books to public scrutiny and prohibit gouging of doctors.
Reported by Kim Glovas, KYW Newsradio 1060
