Nevada: Board to Post Doctors’ Malpractice History

Nevada regulators have decided to post more information about doctors’ medical malpractice history on the state Board of Medical Examiners Web site. The unanimous decision Friday comes after a hepatitis C outbreak in southern Nevada drew focus on the Board of Medical Examiners’ operations. The outbreak spurred criticism of the way the board distributes information about the doctors it licenses and censures. The current Web site lists the names of doctors who’ve been disciplined and the nature of the infraction. Members of the public must contact the board for additional information. The board plans to add to that a searchable database of all doctors named in malpractice cases that ended in a settlement, award or judgment. The board discussed including only cases that involved $5,000 or more, but did not come to a clear decision. It also did not state a firm launch date for the new site.

Please click on the link below to read the Reno Gazette-Journal article:

http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/NEWS/806150359/1321/NEWS

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Hawaii: Doctor Practice Incentives Face Rejection by Lawmakers

Gov. Linda Lingle told state lawmakers yesterday she may veto a bill that would develop a program of loan repayments and other incentives for doctors and dentists to practice on the Neighbor Islands and in underserved urban areas. The Hawai’i Health Corps idea was the only proposal that survived last session to address the shortage of doctors in portions of the state. The program could provide loan repayments over five years for up to 100 doctors, with a priority on graduates of the University of Hawai’i-Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine. Lawmakers passed the bill after rejecting medical malpractice liability reform, which the Hawaii Medical Association, the Lingle administration and many Republicans argue would have encouraged more doctors to practice in rural and underserved areas. The Lingle administration said yesterday that loan repayments and other incentives raise fiscal concerns about whether the state could sustain the Hawai’i Health Corps now or in the future.

Please click on the link below to read the Honolulu Advertiser article:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/NEWS01/806240351/1001/LOCALNEWSFRONT

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Connecticut Supreme Court: ‘High-Low’ Agreements Must Be Revealed

Lawyers for a Connecticut psychiatrist who was sued for medical malpractice in the death of a 17-year-old girl should have revealed to her doctor co-defendant a secret settlement with a payout that hinged on the outcome of the trial, the state’s Supreme Court has ruled. The case centered on the death of 17-year-old Audrey Monti of Ellington, who collapsed outside the office door of her psychiatrist, Naomi E. Wenkert, one day after being discharged from the intensive care unit of a local hospital. Despite Monti’s having bluish lips when she recovered — a sign of a lack of oxygen — Wenkert wrongly diagnosed the girl as having a psychological reaction to having been in the intensive care unit and prescribed her a sedative, Ativan. Monti died later that night, Nov. 21, 1996, from what medical officials ultimately concluded was a respiratory viral infection that went undiscovered by her doctor, Mark J. Decker. Monti’s parents sued Decker and Wenkert, and in 2005 the case went to trial. In the midst of the trial, unbeknownst to the court and her co-defendant, Wenkert secretly entered into a so-called “high-low” agreement with Monti’s parents. The agreement was essentially a verdict-contingent settlement that would pay the parents a minimum of $300,000 or a maximum of $1 million, depending on the outcome of the trial. The agreement acknowledged that Wenkert’s liability insurer was in liquidation, and that a Pennsylvania court had barred it from paying any claims. The agreement relinquished personal claims against Wenkert and the plaintiffs agreed they would ultimately recover the sum from a reinsurer — if Wenkert could find one — or the Connecticut Guaranty Fund. Monti’s parents eventually won the case against Wenkert and Decker, who was ordered to pay a total of $1.75 million to the plaintiffs. It was at that point that the existence of the high-low settlement with Wenkert was revealed. Decker appealed to the Supreme Court, alleging among other things, that the existence of the agreement hindered his defense by depriving him of the chance to challenge some evidence at the trial and impeach Wenkert’s expert witness. The Supreme Court upheld the verdict of the trial court. However, it also concluded that the agreement should have been revealed to Decker, but ultimately that non-disclosure did not affect the outcome of the trial. As a result, the court has adopted a new rule for the state: All verdict contingent settlement — such as high-low agreements — must now be promptly disclosed to the court and any non-settling defendants.

Please click on the link below to read the Insurance Journal article:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2008/06/10/90812.htm

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

South Florida: A Virtual Checkup with Your Doctor

Although the world is increasingly becoming more 24/7, making an appointment with a doctor is so last century. Want a checkup the same day? Good luck. Want to swing by in the middle of a weekend? Don’t hold your breath. And, if you live in the suburbs and must see a specialist near an urban hospital, get ready to take on enough traffic to make you sick. However, there may be a cure for these inconveniences. Aventura-based AmeriGroup Holdings recently launched MDWebLive.com, which offers webcam appointments with physicians on a flexible schedule that includes nights and weekends. There are obvious limitations to what a doctor can offer without a physical examination, but simple diagnoses that require just a look over, a chat and a prescription can work online. The company’s Web site lists dozens of conditions its doctors can treat, including cold, flu, headache, allergies and heart problems. It also treats children who are at least 2 years old. Doctors can’t prescribe controlled substances through MDWebLive. Dr. Stephen Q. Parker, president of AmeriGroup’s medical association, said any patient with a serious condition or in need of a more thorough exam will be referred to the nearest medical facility. Visits are recorded for playback by either doctor or patient, and the medical records are stored with MDWebLive. The company set up an electronic prescription service to send orders to the patients’ designated pharmacy. All of that convenience isn’t free. Physicians must pick up part of the company’s medical malpractice insurance premium, but the company provides its software at no cost. Patients must pay a $99 annual membership fee, which includes a webcam, and $40 per consultation.

Please click on the link below to read the South Florida Business Journal article:

http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/business_resources/tech_and_innovation/stories/2008/06/20/story10.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

New York: Doctor Discipline Bill May Hinge on Malpractice Changes

Passage of a landmark physician discipline bill may hinge on whether state lawmakers and Gov. David A. Paterson also can agree on a package of proposals long desired by doctors to reduce the risk of medical malpractice lawsuits and their malpractice insurance costs. Defying Paterson on a bill he proposed, state Republican lawmakers said they want to address not only disciplinary matters but also rising malpractice insurance premiums that have driven doctors out of business. “There is an urgent need to address malpractice costs as they are affecting the consumer on Long Island and New York City,” said Sen. Kemp Hannon, chairman of the Senate Health Committee. Malpractice insurance premiums increased 14 percent last year and then 15 percent this year. A Paterson administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the governor opposed linking physician discipline and malpractice costs. Supporters of Paterson’s bill said the compromise efforts were an attempt to defeat the legislation, as another powerful lobby, trial lawyers, opposes many efforts at tort reform, that is, changes in malpractice law more favorable to doctors.

Please click on the link below to read the Newsday article:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-lidocs0621,0,1626708.story

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Self-Representation by the Mentally Ill Is Curbed

A mentally ill defendant who is nonetheless competent to stand trial is not necessarily competent to dispense with a lawyer and represent himself, the Supreme Court ruled. The court said that judges could “take realistic account of the particular defendant’s mental capacities” and, in the interest of achieving a fair trial, deny the constitutional right to self-representation that criminal defendants ordinarily enjoy. The 7-to-2 decision overturned a ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court that had found that a schizophrenic man was entitled to a new trial on a charge of attempted murder because the trial judge had improperly denied his request to represent himself. The defendant, Ahmad Edwards, who was sometimes quite coherent and at other times decidedly not so, had differed with his lawyer over defense strategy. He wanted to argue self-defense, while his lawyer wanted to present a defense based on lack of intent. Mr. Edwards had fired a gun at a department store security officer after trying to steal a pair of shoes. He was found competent to stand trial after two psychiatric hospitalizations over three years after the shooting. A landmark Supreme Court decision in 1975, Faretta v. California, established the right to self-representation as a basic constitutional right.  Writing for the majority on Thursday, Justice Stephen G. Breyer said the question in this case was answered neither by the Faretta decision, which did not involve a competency issue, nor by a subsequent decision that permitted a mentally ill defendant to waive the right to counsel and plead guilty. Conducting a defense at trial without a lawyer’s help requires a higher degree of competence, Justice Breyer said.

Please click on the link below to read the New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/washington/20legal.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Jupiter Medical Center Buys Trilogy System

Jupiter Medical Center said it has a bought an image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) and radiosurgery (IGRS) system for treating cancer and neurological lesions. The hospital paid $3.1 million for the Trilogy, from Varian Medical Systems. JMC said that the system delivers conventional forms of radiation therapy faster and more accurately than other procedures, can be used for stereotactic approaches to treat very small lesions and early metastases with a high dose of radiation quickly ands compensate for any movements a patient might make during treatment. “Better diagnostic tools are making it possible for us to see tumors much earlier, when they’re still very small, so stereotactic radiotherapies are likely to play a much larger role in the future of cancer care,” said Dr. David Herold, JMC’s medical director of radiation oncology in a news release. “Trilogy will enable us to treat patients with the most advanced radiotherapy techniques, using the most clinically efficient processes in the world. It provides us with tremendous versatility and precision for customizing treatments according to the specifics of each patient’s case.”

Please click on the link below to read the South Florida Business Journal article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/06/16/daily16.html?f=et81&ana=e_du

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Colorado: Shortfall in Primary Care Physicians Likely to Get Worse

Health insurance and rising medical costs are stars of the political stage this election season, yet a potentially larger crisis looms: a shortage of primary care physicians. Some doctors use terms such as “collapse” and “disaster” in talking about the state of primary care during the next decade. They say the issue will likely force lawmakers to radically rethink how health care dollars are spent. Primary care doctors – generally pediatricians, internal medicine doctors and the traditional family physician – are considered the front line of health care, especially for chronic diseases and preventive care. A shortage could translate into costlier and less-efficient health care. The reality is, there are not enough primary care doctors to see everyone now. Already, some patients, such as those enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid or living in rural areas, are struggling to find a doctor willing to see them. By one account, the Pikes Peak region is short about 20 primary care physicians and will be short at least 10 more in the coming years. The figures come from a study done this year by Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, and they’re likely understated, said Dr. Jeff Oram-Smith, chief medical officer for Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. Not every doctor on the rolls, for example, is regularly seeing patients.

Please click on the link below to read The Gazette article:

http://www.gazette.com/articles/care_37332___article.html/likely_physicians.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Arizona: State Court Overturns Law on Expert Witnesses

An Arizona appellate court ruling says a state law on medical malpractice lawsuits is unconstitutional. At issue is a law that sets qualifications required for expert witnesses in medical malpractice cases. A three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeals says the law is unconstitutional because it violates the doctrine of separation between the branches of government. The ruling Tuesday came in a Maricopa County case in which a trial judge dismissed a malpractice suit after ruling that a doctor that the plaintiff wanted to use as an expert witness was not qualified under the state law.

Please click on the link below to read the Arizona Daily Star article:

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/244148.php

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Texas Medical Board Holds Town-Hall Meetings in Reponse to Malpractice Complaints

More patients across the state are filing complaints against doctors than in years past, and doctors are starting to feel unfairly targeted, officials and physicians said during meetings with the Texas Medical Board this week. “Doctors have said that their perception of the medical board has changed dramatically … now, they’re afraid to get letters from the board,” said Dr. Maria Dill, medical director of the South Texas Health Care System, a state-funded clinic in Harlingen. “And the only newsletter we get from the board lists doctors’ mistakes.” The medical board, which licenses doctors and regulates medical practice in Texas, is holding a series of town-hall meetings and licensing seminars in Texas throughout June and July. Board representatives were in Brownsville to meet with doctors and the public. “It’s the first time we’re doing this across the state,” said Dr. Manuel Guajardo, a Brownsville obstetrician-gynecologist and board member. “We’re here for your concerns and questions.” After the Texas Legislature gave the board additional funds for enforcement in 2005, as well as handing down a mandate to better police the medical profession, the board has stepped up its investigations. By the end of fiscal year 2007, the board was investigating 1,300 cases and had opened about 2,600 more, compared to 694 investigations and 1,900 open cases in 2004, according to TMB’s Web site.

Please click on the link below to read the Brownsville Herald article:

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/doctors_87579___article.html/meetings_texas.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

U.S. Life Expectancy Reaches Record

For the first time, U.S. life expectancy has surpassed 78 years, the government reported Wednesday. The increase is due mainly to falling mortality rates in almost all the leading causes of death, federal health officials said. The average life expectancy for babies born in 2006 was about four months greater than for children born in 2005. However, the United States continues to lag behind about 30 other countries in estimated life span, according to World Health Organization data. Japan is No. 1 on the list, with a life expectancy of 83 for children born in 2006. Switzerland and Australia were also near the top of the list. ”The international comparisons are not that appealing, but we may be in the process of catching up,” said Samuel Preston, a University of Pennsylvania demographer. He is co-chair of a National Research Council panel looking at why America’s life expectancy is lower than other nations’. The new U.S. data, released Wednesday, come from the National Center for Health Statistics. It’s a preliminary report of 2006 numbers, based on data from more than 95 percent of the death certificates collected that year. Life expectancy is the period a child born in 2006 is expected to live, assuming the mortality trends observed in that year stay constant. The 2006 increase is due mainly to falling mortality rates for nine of the 15 leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, accidents and diabetes.

Please click on the link below to read the New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/health/AP-MED-Life-Expectancy.html?_r=2&ref=health&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Regimens: Wine May Help Keep Liver Healthy

Recent reports suggest that red wine is a potent force in increasing lifespan, and a new study offers still more good news for wine drinkers. A glass a day, whether white or red, may reduce the risk of developing the nation’s most common liver disorder, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Researchers studied 7,211 nondrinkers, and 3,598 people who drank a glass a day of wine, beer or liquor, testing them for elevated blood levels of alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, a finding that indicates liver damage. They found above-normal levels in 3.2 percent of nondrinkers, 3.5 percent of beer drinkers and 2.3 percent of daily hard-liquor drinkers. But among those who drank a glass of wine a day, the rate averaged only 0.4 percent. Even after adjusting for other risk factors, the association of modest wine drinking with lower blood levels of ALT persisted. The authors, writing in the June issue of Hepatology, suggest that wine’s nonalcoholic components may be responsible for the findings.

Please click on the link below to read the New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/health/research/10regi.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=health&adxnnlx=1213185774-j8dEWiQkg4eEMb5ex0FJRQ

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Reviews Mixed on Doctors’ Web Ratings

Patients for years have vented about rude doctors or long waits for appointments. But patients increasingly aren’t just trading the information across the back fence or over the phone. A growing number of Web sites are giving consumers a chance to rate physicians and share opinions. Sites such as RateMDs.com and Vitals.com let people rate doctors on numbered scales on such measures as punctuality, bedside manner and quality of diagnosis. RateMDs.com, for example, has a five-point system, with five being the best. Patients also can post anonymous comments. Most are positive, such as those for a Nebraska doctor that described him as caring, knowledgeable and reassuring. Some are not-so-nice. Comments for an Iowa doctor included: “Would never use this doctor again. Nearly killed me.” And a posting for one Nebraska physician warned: “Do Not See This Doctor!” Consumer groups and patients say the sites, though not perfect, can provide additional help finding the best doctor. Some doctors and the American Medical Association, however, are concerned about fairness. Dr. R. Samuel Bryant, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Lincoln, said it’s impossible to determine if comments are from real patients. A posting from last year attached to a “Dr. Samuel Bryant” of Lincoln said that he performed a “horrible breast reduction” and that more than a year later, pain still occurred. If the comment is from a patient, Bryant said he would be “disappointed that someone would choose to leave a negative comment rather than get the issue resolved.” Bryant said that in his 20 years of medical practice, he has performed several thousand successful operations, and he hopes prospective patients wouldn’t judge him — or other doctors — based on an anonymous comment. Even RateMDs.com advises users to take the ratings with “a grain of salt.” The site also says: “Remember, we have no way of knowing who is doing the rating — the doctor, other doctors, patients, dogs, cats, etc.” Dr. David Filipi, an official with the Nebraska Medical Association, said family and friends are a better source for advice when picking a doctor. The American Medical Association says negative comments and ratings might be based on conditions out of a doctor’s control. A patient, for example, might be mad that a medical service was denied by an insurance company.

Please click on the link below to read the Omaha World Herald article:

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=10348859

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Web Can Sicken Doctors’ Careers – Disgruntled Patients Can Post Reviews of Treatments

Distraught over the results of cosmetic surgery on her nose, Katherine Chen did what many people do when they’re unhappy with a doctor. She consulted a malpractice lawyer and filed a complaint with the Medical Board of California. But the 22-year-old college student from West Covina , Calif., didn’t stop there. Chen logged onto her home computer and wrote a tearful review about her experience, posting it to a Web site that encourages consumers to rate their health-care providers. “I wasn’t nasty about it,” says Chen. “But I posted a comment about what I went through. These Web sites are useful. Physicians still have a lot of power.” Chen and other consumers are trying to rein in that power. They’re saying what they think about the current state of health care and, more specifically, the doctors who provide it. Dozens of Web sites that permit people to rate,review, spin or flame their doctors have sprung up in the last year, operating in much the same way as online services that help people find hotels or plumbers. Patients and site operators say the trend is good for consumers and good for healthcare. Thoughtful doctors, they say, will provide better customer service because of the feedback, and the bad ones will no longer be able to hide. And, they add, why should doctors be immune from the trend toward better customer service? Many physicians say the reviews on RateMDs.com, Vitals.com, DrScore.com and other sites are skewed by disgruntled patients and are unfair, pushing some doctors to near-ruin after a single post. “These sites don’t yield enough power yet to get bad doctors to change. And in the meantime, they may hurt good doctors,” says Dr. Phyllis Hollenbeck, a Washington, D.C., family physician. “It only takes one or two scathing comments and a doctor is put in a terrible position.” The sites, more than two dozen of them, vary in their scope of information and efforts to be fair. But the trend is toward free, anonymous, no-holds-barred forums.

Please click on the link below to read the Ledger News article:

http://www.theledger.com/article/20080527/NEWS/805270336/1023

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Outcomes: Tooth Loss Tied to Pregnancy

A new study suggests that the more babies a woman has, the more likely she is to lose teeth. In a nationwide sample of 2,635 women ages 18 to 64 who had had at least one pregnancy, the number of teeth lost increased with the number of pregnancies. The association persisted even after controlling for age, smoking, socioeconomic status and the number of dental visits a woman reported. The study appears online in The American Journal of Public Health. Why this happens is not clear, but Stefanie L. Russell, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at New York University, said that one possible reason was that pregnant women simply do not go to the dentist often enough. “I’m not sure why that’s the case,” she said. “Previously it was thought that women should only be treated during the second trimester,” in part because of fears of the effects of dental X-rays on the fetus. “But you have to look at the individual case and see what kind of treatment a woman needs,” Dr. Russell said. “Preventive care during pregnancy is really important.” The authors cite studies showing rates of gingivitis and other dental problems in pregnant women ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent. Although disease usually subsides after giving birth, existing periodontal problems may worsen during pregnancy.

 

Please click on the link below to read the New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/health/research/10outc.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

House Committee Hearings Called on Military Medical Malpractice

Congressman Maurice Hinchey has asked the chairmen of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on a bill he has introduced to provide servicemen and woman with the right to hold the military accountable for medical malpractice. The bill is named for the late Sgt. Carmelo Rodriguez of Ellenville, who died of skin cancer after a series of what the family claims were mistakes by military medical personnel. Hinchey said current military practices of review are inadequate and are not dealing with medical issues. “It is so ineffective, as in the case of Carmelo Rodriguez that they are allowing people to lose their lives,” he said. Hinchey’s bill would reverse a U.S. Supreme Court ruling dating back to 1950 which said military members and their families have no right or ability to sue the military for negligent medical care given to them during their service.

Please click on the link below to read the Mid-Hudson News article:

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/June08/09/milmedmal_Hinchey-09Jun08.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates May Go Down, but Doctors Want Bigger Drop

Medical malpractice insurance premiums appear to be falling, evidence that Pennsylvania’s climate for hospitals and doctors is improving, according to a state association representing trial lawyers. But medical groups say the size of malpractice awards in Pennsylvania is rising faster than elsewhere, discouraging doctors from opening practices and making it difficult for hospitals to do business. “Any reduction is great news for us, but we still have a ways to go,” said Jack Krah, executive director of the Allegheny County Medical Society. “We’re in a competitive environment for medical personnel.” Earlier this month, the Joint Underwriting Association, a nonprofit Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based agency, asked the state to reduce overall medical malpractice premiums by 4.4 percent. The Insurance Department has 60 days to review the filing. Hospitals and doctors are required to carry malpractice insurance, and the Joint Underwriting Association provides coverage when it’s not available from commercial carriers.

Please click on the link below to read the Pittsburgh Business Times article:

http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/06/02/story6.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Medical Know-How Raises Suicide Risk for Doctors

There’s a grim, rarely talked-about twist to all that medical know-how doctors learn to save lives: It makes them especially good at ending their own. An estimated 300 to 400 U.S. doctors kill themselves each year – a suicide rate thought to be higher than in the general population, although exact figures are hard to come by. Some doctors believe the stigma of mental illness is magnified in a profession that prides itself on stoicism and bravado. Many fear admitting psychiatric problems could be fatal to their careers, so they suffer in silence. And when the pain is too much, doctors have easy access to prescription drugs and a precise knowledge of both how the body works and the amount of a drug needed for an overdose to stop breathing and halt the heart. “All physicians have access to neat, clean ways to commit suicide,” said Dr. Robert Lehmberg, a Little Rock, Ark., surgeon who has battled depression and long considered suicide “an exit strategy if absolutely necessary.” The American Medical Association has called physician suicide “an endemic catastrophe,” and pledged two years ago to work to prevent the problem.

Please click on the link below to read the Netscape News article:

http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/news/story.jsp?floc=DC-headline&sc=1500&idq=/ff/story/0001/20080508/1657904750.htm

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Boca Raton Community Hospital Still Struggling, Expects Another Loss

After a whopping $42 million operating loss, Boca Raton Community Hospital continues to struggle financially, and a turnaround isn’t expected for up to two years. The nonprofit hospital again will lose money this fiscal year, said Chief Executive Officer Richard Van Lith. Layoffs could occur as the hospital adjusts to a decline in patients. In the past six months, though, the hospital has made progress and should make up some $23 million over last fiscal year, Van Lith said. The hospital improved its billing system, hired nurses instead of using temporary ones and took control of spending on medical products. At the same time, executives are bolstering hospital programs and services — heart, cancer, orthopedics and women’s health — to draw patients. Declining admissions continue to plague Boca Community along with hospitals around the county. Several factors could explain the drop: Seasonal residents aren’t staying as long and others aren’t moving here, the uninsured population is growing and less likely to seek health care, and a shortage of primary care physicians could be influencing when people get care.

Excerpt taken from a Sun Sentinel article.

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

University of Miami Bets on Biotech Future

Could Miami be the next Silicon Valley, the next Research Triangle, the next Boston for the biotechnology business? Top leaders at the University of Miami medical school say the answer is yes, and they are planning to build a new Life Science Park near Jackson Memorial Hospital as a centerpiece of their bid. The park will provide office and laboratory space for companies that collaborate with UM researchers, making it easier to turn scientific discoveries into commercial products. At 1.4 million square feet, it would be about the same size as the Dolphin Mall in West Miami-Dade. ”This is a really big project for Miami and for the University of Miami,” said the dean of UM’s medical school, Dr. Pascal Goldschmidt. “It’s way beyond the University of Miami, to tell you the truth. There’s an opportunity to develop an area of the economy we have not been particularly strong at, but could be strong at.”

Please click on the link below to read the Miami Herald article:

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/562545.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.