"We need to fix a jackpot justice system that is bad for our patients, bad for health care, and bad for local economies," Dr. Hill said. "It's time for Tennessee's state and federal representatives to stand up and do what is necessary to ensure that when patients need care, physicians are there to provide it."

Medical liability reforms that include a reasonable limit on non-economic damages have been proven to protect patients and preserve access to medical care. A medical liability crisis in Texas was halted after the state enacted sweeping reforms in 2003, and voters passed a constitutional amendment to head off potential court challenges. Since then, access to care has been increasing, claims are down, physician recruitment and retention are up, and new insurers are entering the increasingly competitive Texas medical liability market, creating more choices for physicians. As a consequence, last year the AMA removed Texas from the list of crisis states.


"Lawmakers and voters acted to bring Texas back from a meltdown of their health system," said Dr. Hill. "We urge Tennessee's state and federal lawmakers to consider the example of other states and look to proven remedies when considering medical liability reform."

The AMA also announced today that it is adding Guam to the medical liability crisis map as a territory "showing problem signs."

Access to care is already a problem in Guam with a limited number of physicians practicing some specialties, no physicians available in others, and the closest alternative approximately eight hours away in Hawaii. Guam has only one civilian hospital serving a largely rural population of 160,000. A number of physicians have left the territory, and local doctors cite the medical liability environment as the key challenge in attracting and retaining physicians to meet existing needs.

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For more information, please contact:

Robert J. Mills
AMA Media Relations
Office: (312) 464-5970
Mobile: (312) 543-7268
Last updated: Feb 14, 2006

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