State medical-legal climates

[Patonk]

hi all, long-time lurker here.
i'm (an attending) about to embark on the locums road after 2 years at a full time academic gig in nyc.

i'm trying to get a consensus as to what people think are the states with favorable medical-legal climates.
the acep report card is likely outdated as more states have passed tort reform and capped non-economic damages than are factored in on that site.

please note, i'm looking strictly at the legal climate of states; quality of life, living conditions, weather, etc have no bearing as i'll be living in nyc and traveling as a locums.

states i'm interested in are texas (long license process), indiana, missouri, wisconsin.

thanks!

ps: if anyone's interested in a job in manhattan, please pm me!

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[doctorFred]

i think the rule of thumb is: the redder the state, the better the climate. and that's coming from a moderate/liberal.

i hear good things about texas.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

I'd consider adding Mississippi on your list.

Their malpractice climate is not too bad, and there is a HUGE need there for EM physicians. The pay is stellar, and you can almost name your price when there is a 'big need'. Jackson, MS has a decent airport to get in and out of (AA, Delta, SW) and you are '2 hours' from almost anywhere in the state. Reasonable hotels and good food. Many of the people are nice, but there are some ROUGH places as well...

I moonlit all over the state; there were some places that had folks fly in and work a week of shifts and fly home.

I am in Texas now; you are correct that we have probably one of the best malpractice climtes. I am in west texas and although we certainly have a lack of EM physicians in general, what little I have discovered so far, there is not many openings for locums work (at least NOTHING like Mississippi around me). The 'rural family doctor' is still king in much of this area of west texas and they still are plentiful in the small ERs... Many of them are young and are good at what they do. In MS, it seems like the family docs got old and quit/died/retired and there was not a young crowd filling the voids... leaving gaps all over. Obviously Texas is a BIG state and I have no real feel about the rest of the state....

Good Luck...

 

[Khaos]

I have been interested in tort reform for a while and thus have looked at these things. Texas, GA, SC are favorable, in that order. NC just passed very good tort reform but at this time there has been nothing to challenge it (thus the real test). Florida consistently has had the highest malpractice consistently. Last I heard OK, Ohio, and a couple of other states are really pushing for tort reform similar to Texas and GA with a cap, proof of gross negligence, a prosecution that must include an actively practicing physician in your field, etc...

Texas is even starting to look at tort reform that includes defense costs if the prosecution loses.

 

[erin682]

I have been interested in tort reform for a while and thus have looked at these things. Texas, GA, SC are favorable, in that order. NC just passed very good tort reform but at this time there has been nothing to challenge it (thus the real test). Florida consistently has had the highest malpractice consistently. Last I heard OK, Ohio, and a couple of other states are really pushing for tort reform similar to Texas and GA with a cap, proof of gross negligence, a prosecution that must include an actively practicing physician in your field, etc...

Texas is even starting to look at tort reform that includes defense costs if the prosecution loses.

It's my understanding that Georgia actually decided that the cap was a violation of the state's constitution. There are still some protections for those practicing under emtala, but no caps.

 

[deleted109597]

Obviously Texas is a BIG state and I have no real feel about the rest of the state....

The Coastal Bend does alright. There are more shops here to work in than there are out west, simply because the population density is higher. However, there is still a shortage of all docs (EM included), so some of them still have FM/IM docs in the EDs.
On the flip side, I can get loan repayment because of the shortage, and still make money. Win Win.


Also, Texas code is written as "willful and wanton", so it's pretty much the best out there.

 

[southerndoc]

Georgia's cap on non-economic damages was ruled unconstitutional by the courts. However, the gross negligence clause was upheld. So it takes a pretty big screw up for an emergency provider to be sued successfully in Georgia.

 

[K31]

Texas is even starting to look at tort reform that includes defense costs if the prosecution loses.

A "loser pays" tort reform bill passed the Texas legislature this past session and goes into effect September 1.

 

[DeLaughterDO]

A "loser pays" tort reform bill passed the Texas legislature this past session and goes into effect September 1.

👍 😍

 

[GeneralVeers]

Texas is definitely the best and South Texas is a great opportunity. Pay is about 400K, you are near the beach, no snow, no income tax, and there is a United/Continental airport hub in Houston.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I published a blog post recently on malpractice you may find helpful. http://whitecoatinvestor.com/malpractice-study/ I've done one previously on asset protection.

http://whitecoatinvestor.com/introduction-to-asset-protection/

 

[EctopicFetus]

Arizona is pretty good as well but nothing compares to texas.