buried_lede t1_ja3qlhw wrote on February 26, 2023 at 4:58 PM

First link: CT doesn’t rank that high in malpractice and it appears to be based on payouts, not number of cases.

Second link: only reports the total in dollars, where CT ranks 12th, but awards on average will be higher in states where medical costs and cost of living is higher and in line with that, the Northeastern states rank higher in payouts. (Setting aside caps on awards)

The second link also claims that 99-percent of doctors will face a malpractice claim- absurd unless they are counting everyone who “complains to the manager,” about waiting an hour to see a doctor lol. Most doctors in CT will never face a lawsuit, period, and though I don’t have info on complaints to the licensing board, if we assume it is double even, the board here is mild and known to be pro-doctor.

Third link: interestingly, CT doesn’t rank in the top of any of the categories in this study except for limiting clinical privileges. Probably something to look at.

——

https://research.zippia.com/states-that-sue.html

Looking only at the number of med mal lawsuits per capita, this analysis placed CT low indeed on ladder, at 16. This is lower even than Minnesota, that seemingly doctor-happy state with such happy stats in general.

This gives with what I have seen on the court dockets - a pretty reasonable and sober practice area in CT. We aren’t gaga about medical lawsuits.

So, it sounds like what we are really talking about is high payouts ( costs of living in the Northeast being high and no caps) and the interesting aberration about clinical privileges by the licensing board which might have something to do with how they categorize their info more than anything punitive. They don’t suspend licenses much here.

jay1982k OP t1_ja3r0e9 wrote on February 26, 2023 at 5:01 PM

Thank you. I appreciate it.

buried_lede t1_ja3skuq wrote on February 26, 2023 at 5:11 PM

You’re welcome. It is odd how that CT for “limiting privileges” is so high. Not a medical person so don’t know what that might indicate but the article did suggest that it could be how they define that category.

jay1982k OP t1_ja3swlr wrote on February 26, 2023 at 5:13 PM

Yeah im not sure. Worth exploring. I hope theyre not more punitive than other states.

Im a pcp and wish for better qol but not if i ruin my reputation due to a mistake. Im human.

buried_lede t1_ja3ufbc wrote on February 26, 2023 at 5:23 PM

I don’t even know what to say about that because it’s a depressing state of affairs. The profession is very very cya here, more than other places I know just speaking as a patient. It’s the northeast so people move quickly and are less trusting. And they are advised not to resolve things with their patients, but to shut up and let their lawyers escalate the crap out of everything, thus harming the patient more. There are lawsuit shopping patients everywhere I am sure so why trust any patients? But there are so many patients who just want an honest conversation and a fair resolution , such as corrected reports that are riddled with cya fabrications. For more minor care questions, escalating conflicts because of paranoia is common and is so unfortunate.

For more serious errors, it is understandable that fear would be much higher.

Here doctors will come down like a ton of bricks on minor requests for correction. It’s pathetic and really dishonest. I should say many will, not all.

PS: we definitely need more PCPs though, so I hope you come. People wait months to get in as new patients and so many PCPs aren’t taking new patients at all. It’s crazy, so I hope you do come

jay1982k OP t1_ja42bco wrote on February 26, 2023 at 6:14 PM

Id love to.l come to ct. i also need to afford it. If the pay works out i lrobably will. My efforts are generally to dictate in front lf pt. Outside of the bullshit template we all use the hpi, important parts of physical, assessment, plan is all thru dictation so pt can corrext me in office.

Separarely, to cya i sometimes tell ppl what i think, my plan and order it and then also refer or do the escalated next step (advanced imaging) in case im wrong/or meeds more urgency and let them know of it so theyre on board. If they dont wnat to do it up to them. Most patients seem pleased.

I still haven figured iut the patient who comes to me for care accepts the next minor step and then doesnt come to me dor a year even tho i asked them to follow up within a month etc and then blames em for not being urgent. Ugh.

buried_lede t1_ja47bez wrote on February 26, 2023 at 6:46 PM

Huh, interesting last paragraph

As for the cya of documenting facts and communicating well with patients, that’s great but I meant the other kind of cya where people just plain lie to cover up their miserable treatment. Every nurse and doctor having a bad day pawns it off on the patient who took the brunt of it. Lot of high stress

jay1982k OP t1_ja4g8v8 wrote on February 26, 2023 at 7:45 PM

Well thats unfortunate. I dont find primary care stressful. Unless they turn the practice into urgent care. Having an emergency train wreck walk in is. Never fun. Hopefully people like me can give a positive impression but it may take time.

buried_lede t1_ja3r87y wrote on February 26, 2023 at 5:02 PM

Just want to add that the problem with the tort reform crowd is that they are captives of insurance companies, chambers of commerce, and professional groups all wanting to save money, not improve oversight of physicians or increase the quality of care, so the fight just continues ad nauseum. If reforms were only in the hands of people who wanted the latter, maybe we’d get a better result. But victims of malpractice need to be made whole. Frivolous cases here get thrown out so fast it’s not funny

Any doctors here

jay1982k OP t1_ja3dq78 wrote on February 26, 2023 at 3:31 PM