State touts improving conditions for doctors

Gov. Ed Rendell is trying to convince young doctors that Pennsylvania isn't so bad.

He sent letters to the state's 7,500 medical students, as well as doctors in resident and fellowship programs in the state. Part of his goal is to counter claims that Pennsylvania is not doctor-friendly because of medical-malpractice lawsuits and high malpractice-insurance premiums.

The governor's letter says the facts show otherwise. He points out that medical-malpractice lawsuits dropped substantially since the state passed a package of reforms in 2002.

Payouts from Mcare, a state fund that helps cover large damage awards for malpractice, have declined from $341 million in 2000 to $232 million last year, according to the letter.

Rendell also notes that the state has spent $830 million since 2003 to help doctors pay medical-malpractice insurance premiums.

He says the number of doctors in the state has remained steady for several years, with about 35,000 physicians accepting the insurance subsidy.

"I don't think anyone can argue with the numbers," said Amy Kelchner, spokeswoman for the governor's Office of Health Care Reform. "Things are looking much better than they did a few years ago."

Chuck Moran, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Medical Society, said doctors in the state continue to struggle with high malpractice-insurance premiums and low reimbursements from providers of health insurance.

Only about 8 percent of doctors who completed residencies -- the training that follows medical school -- chose to continue working in Pennsylvania in 2004, Moran said. That's down from about 50 percent in 1994.

Moran acknowledges that the insurance subsidy, known as Mcare abatement, means that Pennsylvania doctors could pay less for malpractice insurance than they would elsewhere.

With a growing shortage of doctors nationwide, Pennsylvania must do whatever it can to ensure an adequate supply, Moran said.

"It's a good thing he's sending this letter out, because we are in competition with other states," he said.

Moran said there's also concern about whether Pennsylvania will be able to retain doctors if the Mcare abatement ends.

Kelchner said Rendell has no plans to discontinue the abatement, but it's a year-to-year decision.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pennsylvania has 295 doctors per 100,000 residents, the ninth-highest ratio in the country. The national average is about 250 doctors per 100,000 people.

Rendell also said he hopes to increase the focus on patient safety. The state's Patient Safety Authority, which collects data on medical errors, recorded about 6,800 "serious events" last year.

Serious events are medical mistakes resulting in harm or death. The number of serious events is greater than the number of lawsuits linked to medical errors.

Rendell has a task force that has been working on a plan to provide affordable health care in the state. Kelchner said the plan, to be released by early 2007, will include measures aimed at addressing errors.