Medical Malpractice in Crisis

Award Year: 2003	Investigator: Frank Sloan	Budget: $268,606	Categories: Medical malpractice
Abstract: Why are medical malpractice premiums and losses skyrocketing? This is just one of the questions that Frank A. Sloan, Ph.D. tackles in his Investigator Award project, Medical Malpractice in Crisis. Analyzing the malpractice crises of the 1970s, 1980s, and today, Dr. Sloan examines malpractice outcomes in four distinct markets: legal services, medical malpractice insurance, medical care, and government activity. Using a variety of data sets, he studies trends in malpractice claims and awards, physician relocation to geographic areas where premiums are lower, early retirement of physicians, the effects of state tort reforms on Medicare outcomes and costs, and changes in access to care. In a comprehensive book on the topic, Dr. Sloan will describe reform efforts - including caps, no-fault insurance, enterprise liability, and government reinsurance - and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various policy options for addressing the current crisis.