HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Palmisano, D. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Palmisano, D. J. Related Collections Professional affairs

Ann Thorac Surg 2004;78:9-13
© 2004 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Thomas B. Ferguson lecture

The hidden cost of medical liability litigation

^a American Medical Association, Chicago, Illinois, USA

^* Address reprint requests to Dr Palmisano, American Medical Association, 515 N State St, 16th Floor, Chicago, IL, USA
e-mail: donald_palmisano@ama-assn.org

Presented at the Fortieth Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, San Antonio, TX, Jan 26–28, 2004.

The first 300 words of the full text of this article appear below.

T am greatly honored by your invitation to present The Thomas B. Ferguson Lecture. It is a special privilege to be able to deliver this address during Dr Guyton's Presidency of your Society. He is a wonderful representative of the Guyton family of physicians.

It is no surprise that there is a lectureship in Dr Ferguson's honor. Review the history of all the major cardiothoracic societies and you will find his name as an Officer. He served for sixteen years as the Editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery and is Professor Emeritus of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine.

When I reviewed Dr Ferguson's additional multiple accomplishments, it became obvious to me that he has dedicated his life in an exceptional way as both a healer and inspirational teacher to the noble profession we call Medicine. Now that beloved calling, caring, and compassionate service to others is threatened by a toxic environment—a broken medical liability system. The liability system has become so oppressive that doctors are limiting their practices, retiring early, or moving to states with more stable liability climates. No wonder President Bush in his speech to physicians and other health professionals in Arkansas yesterday stated, "The health care system looks like a giant lottery. That is what it looks like these days with these lawsuits and somehow the trial lawyers are always hold the winning ticket."

A crisis rages in 19 states—home to 140 million people—half our nation's population—our patients. What is a crisis? It is all about access to care—a pregnant woman in labor and distress but with no obstetrician available, a 9-year-old boy with head trauma and no neurosurgeon left in town, the only trauma center left in a community closing. Fixing the broken medical liability system is the American Medical Association's (AMA) . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. C. Pairolero Quality, Safety, and Transparency: A Rising Tide Floats All Boats Ann. Thorac. Surg., August 1, 2005; 80(2): 387 - 395. [Full Text] [PDF]