Doctor Seeks Waiver from Treating Malpractice Lawyers

[Dedman]

Listening to NPR this morning I heard an article on the following:

*A South Carolina doctor is asking the American Medical Association to approve as ethical a policy that would permit doctors to refuse treating medical malpractice lawyers. The proposal demonstrates how heated the debate over medical malpractice has become.*

It was interesting and a bit scary. While I understand the sentiment behind it and even somewhat agree with it, I think it is a very dangerous precedent to set. I donâ??t like the idea of Doctors being able to choose who they will or wonâ??t treat based on what the perspective patient does for a living or what their social views are.

Thoughts?

[Will Robinson]

If all malpractice suits were nothing but a fraud then sure, don't treat them. But that's far from the case so it boils down to trying to exclude someone from treatment because they might perpetrate a fraud...

Why not refuse prescribing medicine to all humans because they might actually be drug addicts?

I hope this doctor is just engaging in some hyperbole and not actually serious...but I live here in S.C. and am reminded daily of the idiots that run this asylum, so I'm not betting on it.

[Top Gun]

Wouldn't this be akin to ER staff refusing to save the life of a suspected killer who was injured in a shootout with police? As far as I know, that sort of thing usually doesn't happen, and as despicable as the whole malpractice situation has become, it's still far less evil than murder.

[Dedman]

I think the difference is they are talking about non-critical care.

[Testiculese]

It won't happen, but it's funny anyway!