Rogues meet on Saturday, Aug 20 at Holiday Inn Select near S.H. Village

Original source: Herb Ohliger, herb138 -at- fyi.net

In Chester County (population 500,000), at least two head trauma patients have died during the one-hour ride to Lancaster General Hospital. There are no full time neurosurgeons and no trauma center left in Chester County.

In Titusville, just north of here, the last orthopedic surgeon left earlier this year. Across the state, OB/GYN’s have dropped obstetrics from their practice.

And at present, only 4% of the doctors in Pennsylvania are under the age of 35.

High costs of medical malpractice insurance (and also the high probability of being sued) are driving physicians out of the state or into early retirement.

In 2003, though, the state legislature passed a reform bill which has had a positive effect. The 1,815 medical malpractice suits filed in 2004 were a 34% drop from the 2,751 average of the years 2000 to 2002.

The state representative who spearheaded that bill, Mike Turzai introduced another malpractice reform bill in June of this year and is coming to the Rogues breakfast on Saturday, August 20 to tell us about it. And to tell us how we may be able to help get it passed.

Rogues meet at 9 am, Saturday, August 20, 2005 at The Holiday Inn on Fort Couch Road in Bethel Park. Cost is $13. Please RSVP by Friday the 19th to 412 279.1222 or email me so that I can get a count for the Holiday Inn. You may still attend (PLEASE) even if you don't RSVP.

Please pass the word to people you know and invite them to join us this Saturday. This should be an informative session.