Hospitals, Medical Society and Health Department Developing Plan To Respond To Medical Liability Crisis

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

JACKSONVILLE, FLA — Six North Florida hospital systems are working with the Duval County Medical Society and the Duval County Health Department to prepare a plan to cope with the impact of the impending medical liability crisis that may force many physicians and surgeons to stop practicing May 2.

The group is developing a unified action plan that identifies and deploys the available medical resources in the Jacksonville area under the auspices of the Health Department. That includes emergency services, diagnostic services, the remaining available physicians and other aspects of care.

The hospital systems involved include: Baptist Health, Memorial Hospital Jacksonville, Orange Park Medical Center, Shands Jacksonville, St. Luke's Hospital and St. Vincent's Health System. The leaders said they are working collaboratively to create one responsive plan because the circumstances facing the community on May 2 are potentially very serious. The medical leaders add that, in the absence of meaningful and comprehensive tort reform, they understand why some physicians feel forced to stop practicing.

The Medical Society is taking a leadership role in coordinating efforts to encourage the remaining physicians in the area to assist hospitals and the health department in responding to healthcare needs of area residents. The plan also will assist rescue personnel in their efforts to take emergency patients to appropriate locations and eliminate unnecessary delays. The unified plan will help identify which services in the community will continue to be available, which may be limited, and which may be completely unavailable. Even with the plan in place, the group expects significant waiting times for patients for routine healthcare services, something North Florida residents are not accustomed to.

The plan is expected to be complete by April 30.

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