President's Message

Springtime

Dear Colleagues, I am writing these words as beautiful springtime is here. So go out and enjoy the beautiful days of spring.

Advocacy has been the primary goal of the Polk County Medical Society since our last issue of the Bulletin. As you know, there has been a major demonstration by Iowa Physicians and health care providers, on the steps of the capitol. We are lobbying on your behalf to make our voice heard regarding the escalating malpractice cost and trying to limit the settlement of non-economic damages to $250,000.

I hope our honorable governor will sign the bill if it passes the House and Senate. As of this writing the House as passed the bill and the Senate is a few votes shy of passing, but the PCMS lobbyist is working around the clock to get the votes needed. Iowa is not unique in passing tort reform since several states already have laws limiting the malpractice settlement amounts.

If the Iowa legislature does not pass the bill and it does not get signed into law, the malpractice problem is only going to increase. I have already received several calls from my colleagues complaining about the inability to recruit new physicians to their groups while others are starting to cut out some procedures to contain the escalating cost of malpractice insurance.

It was nice to have the media exposure on our protest which is probably the first largest physician demonstration in our history. I would appreciate the help from any member who could write to the newspaper explaining our views. It is not greed behind our stand but the welfare of our patients and the high quality of medical care which the people of Iowa have been accustom too. If we do not get reform, access to care is in jeopardy in some specialties.

Good news for our county, the PCMS is working with the Polk County Board of Supervisors to recruit a new medical examiner. There are several good applicants and hopefully we will have one on board when Dr. Garrity retires in the summer.