August 25, 2022
Pennsylvania Medical Society's Statement Regarding the Supreme Court's Action on Venue Shopping
“The Pennsylvania Medical Society staunchly condemns this enormous step backwards to the days of an unstable medical liability market and a mass exodus of physicians from this Commonwealth.
After twenty years of rebuilding towards a more robust physician presence and a better liability market in Pennsylvania the Supreme Court has, in essence, invited an unnecessary return to the “good old days” of stuffing trial lawyers’ pockets to the detriment of a steady and safe health care environment.
As we experienced in the late 1990s and 2000s, Pennsylvania will begin to see high risk specialists like orthopedists, neurosurgeons and trauma surgeons halt procedures, OB/Gyns stop delivering babies, and our highly trained residents choosing to leave Pennsylvania to practice in states that are more welcoming to them.
The bottom line is that the court has ignored over 5,000 comments from physicians, patients, and countless professional organizations across the state to the detriment of the safety and health of Pennsylvania patients.
PAMED won’t stop fighting for what is fair for patients and physicians across the state. We will look for a remedy to ensure the continuity of services, availability of high-quality health care, and stabilize medical liability.
This, at a time physicians have been stretched to their breaking points due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have been called heroes for their unwavering dedication. This is no way to treat heroes.”