Leadership and hard work pay off
April 2011
As we celebrate the advances the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) made this year with securing a 20-year agreement preserving the medical malpractice cap in Virginia, it is a timely opportunity to thank all of the individuals who played key roles in reaching this point. This session’s accomplishments just go to show what can happen when we come together with a shared goal, with patience and with determination to see the course. We didn’t get here overnight nor without the vision, leadership and hard work of physicians.
A look back
In 2004, MSV convened a tort reform task force to identify opportunities for improving Virginia’s medical liability climate. The task force, chaired by MSV Past President Dan Carey, M.D., served as a “think tank” that focused on options and possibilities for items that MSV could pursue, including health courts, expanding “Sorry Works” programs, arbitration and others. In advance of the medical malpractice cap agreement modifications, the task force identified ideas and considered options of how MSV could make incremental changes to the current model.
When 2008 arrived and the cap was close to maturing, MSV anticipated a legislative challenge to the cap.
In anticipation, MSV convened the Medical Liability Advisory Group (MLAG) to provide guidance, research and analytical support to the MSV board and staff. The group aimed to develop pragmatic, focused and politically feasible solutions to the medical malpractice cap challenge. Initially chaired by Dr. Carey and then chaired by Russell Libby, M.D., FAAP, the group was charged with creating a multi-year plan that became the basis for development of MSV’s legislative and policy strategy.
These efforts required resources beyond MSV’s usual advocacy budget. Once again, physicians stepped up as leaders and contributed to a new Physicians Advocacy Initiative (PAI) which was established to help fund extraordinary advocacy efforts on behalf of physicians. MSV thanks those who served as PAI ambassadors, especially to our primary physician fundraisers H. Lee Kanter, M.D., FACC, Geoffrey Harter, M.D., and Janet Hickman, M.D. in their medical communities and to those who generously supported the effort.
“MSV, through its tort reform task force and MLAG, made a major commitment to understand the broad legislative, legal and policy environments surrounding medical liability. We were truly committed to being data driven, which set the stage for a reasoned and politically savvy approach to the multiparty talks seeking a new agreement on the liability cap. We achieved long-term stability of the liability insurance market to keep doctors wanting to practice in Virginia. My hope is that we will look back on our efforts over the last seven years as setting the stage for future innovation in areas that support patient care, patient safety and reasonable compensation for injured patients.”
– Dan Carey, M.D.
“A remarkable accomplishment like this is not something that happens overnight. It is one that took us years of being deliberate, inclusive and proactive. Years ago, we realized how important it was to be proactive rather than stand around and wait. With the task force, we developed a pool of knowledge and came up with resources to educate our colleagues and legislators. We worked together as leaders so we could respond with our wealth of information and resources at the right moment. We were fortunate to persevere and it was because our team had incredible skills and talents. The outcome of the medical malpractice cap agreement is one that will benefit both physicians and patients, and it will allow us to move forward to other important issues.” – Russell Libby, M.D.