Medical liability reform: The heat is on
Doctors for Medical Liability Reform (DMLR), co-founded by the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, is turning up the heat in the campaign to achieve medical liability reform. As the fall elections loom, DMLR launched a media blitz in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and Washington the week of July 5 as part of its Protect Patients Now initiative.
Highlighting the campaign are state-customized 30-minute television news magazines that present true stories of the medical liability crisis as told by doctors, patients, policymakers, business leaders and others troubled by the ever-decreasing access to health care.
Between now and the November election, the news magazines will run for nine weeks in 19 television markets in the four target states. The television activity will be augmented by hard-hitting print ads. States were selected for a combination of reasons including the political climate—especially targeted U.S. Senate races—the healthcare and liability climate, and media market affordability. DMLR also has stories from Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Illinois, and may air news magazines in these and other states, depending on resources.
DMLR includes 11 national medical specialty societies, and represents more than 230,000 physicians. AAOS First Vice President Stuart L. Weinstein, MD, is DMLR’s vice chairman.
Orthopaedic surgeons are urged to get involved in grassroots efforts currently underway in targeted states. For more information, go to DMLR’s Web site at http://www.ProtectPatientsNow.org or contact Kathryn Pontzer in the AAOS Washington Office at pontzer@aaos.org or (202) 546-4430.
To support the AAOS medical liability reform campaign, make your personal or corporate check payable to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons and send it to AAOS, 6300 N. River Road, Rosemont, Ill. 60018, Attn: Medical Liability Reform Campaign. Credit card contributions are also welcomed.