DJP 5-18-2005 AMA Update: US Senate - medical liab protection bill for volunteers  & LAGNIAPPE

 Two Items

DJP

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD

 

ITEM ONE: New Senate bill to give liability protection to physician volunteers

Let's get this and the House version passed and it will be another step forward.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        May 17, 2005

 

AMA APPLAUDS NEW SENATE BILL TO PROVIDE LIABILITY PROTECTIONS TO PHYSICIAN VOLUNTEERS                                               

 

Statement Attributable to:          Donald J. Palmisano, M.D., J.D.

                                                AMA Immediate Past-President

 

“The American Medical Association applauds the introduction of Senate legislation today to provide physician volunteers with medical liability protections.  The Community Health Center Volunteer Physician Protection Act of 2005 would extend medical liability protections to physician volunteers so community health centers can continue to provide affordable health care to those in need.

 

“Physicians, both active and retired, want to volunteer in community health centers. Yet, these valuable medical resources go untapped in communities that need them the most due to physicians’ fear of litigation and the skyrocketing cost of medical liability insurance.  By reducing the liability exposure of physician volunteers, this legislation will encourage physicians to volunteer at community health centers, and improve access to care for low-income and uninsured Americans.

 

“The AMA thanks Senator Rick Santorum and Senator Ron Wyden for introducing this legislation in the Senate, and Representative Tim Murphy, who introduced this legislation (H.R. 1313) in the House earlier this year.” 

 

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Contact:

Katherine M. Hatwell

Public Information Officer, American Medical Association

(202) 789-7419

 

 

ITEM TWO: LAGNIAPPE

 

Some good news!

 

I received a letter Tuesday, dated May 13, 2005, from Pierre Buekens, MD, PhD, Professor and Dean of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine informing me that I have been appointed Adjunct Professor in the Department of Health Systems Management of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.  Dr. Buekens welcomed me to the faculty of the school.

Dr. Claudia Campbell is Chair of Health Systems Management at Tulane.

 

I will continue as Clinical Professor of Surgery and Clinical Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at Tulane.

 

Look forward to this new opportunity to learn and teach.

 

Off to Princeton later this morning for the Council on Health Care Economics and Policy -  12th Princeton Conference: " How Will the States Pay for Health Care?"