News in brief - Sept. 26, 2005

Pa. liability reforms said to be working; medical society cautious - Orthopedic journal unveils redesign - Georgia sees medical school expansion - New geriatrics guide available - Effects of sleep deprivation similar to effects of alcohol

Pa. liability reforms said to be working; medical society cautious

A recent insurance commissioner report says medical liability costs in Pennsylvania declined 5% to 8%, thanks to reforms enacted in 2002.

The July report is proof that reforms banning venue shopping, requiring a certificate of merit when filing a medical liability lawsuit, and reducing the mandatory coverage limit are helping doctors, state Sens. Jay Costa Jr. and Michael J. Stack said.

But the senators' conclusions were drawn from a very small portion of a report that dealt mainly with the growth of the liability insurance market, Pennsylvania Medical Society spokesman Chuck Moran said. The report concluded the market had not grown enough for physicians to purchase more insurance from private companies rather than through the state-run Mcare fund.

Moran pointed to one portion of the study that said severity of claims has not declined. "They're not really painting the big picture," he said.

Meanwhile, State Rep. Phyllis Mundy introduced a bill in the Pennsylvania Legislature that would provide a 20% discount on medical liability premiums to doctors and health care facilities that implement a total quality management system designed to reduce medical errors. A hearing on the bill was scheduled for Sept. 20.

Orthopedic journal unveils redesign

The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has been redesigned, in commemoration of the journal's 12-year anniversary.

Beginning with the September issue, the journal is now a monthly publication that features additional sections and contains targeted content to provide readers with the latest clinical research, educational pieces and industry trends in the field of orthopedics. The journal is a publication of the 28,000-member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

New content includes the bi-monthly "Surgical Techniques" and a bi-monthly column, "From the Academy Leadership," focusing on various legislative and public policy issues.

Georgia sees medical school expansion

Suwanee, Ga., boasts a new medical campus with 86 students in its inaugural class. The school, a branch campus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, opened in August. Next year the campus will expand to include a biomedical sciences program. Two other osteopathic colleges have added branch campuses recently. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania opened a campus in Bradenton, Fla., and the California Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine created a branch in Las Vegas.

New geriatrics guide available

The American Geriatrics Society's guide to health care needs of older adults, Geriatrics at Your Fingertips, is available in a free electronic version for personal digital assistants.

The new PDA version includes several interactive features, including a bookmark and a "help" button with guidance specific to the PDA version. The software can be downloaded from the society's Web site (www.geriatricsatyourfingertips.org).

Effects of sleep deprivation similar to effects of alcohol

Lack of sleep affects physicians the same as drinking alcohol, according to a study in the Sept. 7 Journal of the American Medical Association.

The post-call impairment of medical residents after four weeks of heavy call was the same or worse than if they had a blood alcohol level of 0.04%, researchers reported.

Study authors recommended that residency programs develop risk-management strategies, such as providing post-call residents a place to nap before they drive home.

They also called for further work on how sleep deprivation impacts the clinical setting and patient care and safety.