Reporting Medical Malpractice Cases in Tennessee
Your Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys keep you up-to-date
A recent statement by the Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) illustrates important changes regarding medical reporting that took effect on April 9th, 2009. Known as Public Chapter 48, this is a TMA-initiated act involving medical malpractice by a physician where judgments or settlements total seventy-five thousand dollars or more. The act requires the Department of Health (DOH) to accept information on such judgments or settlements from the insurance carrier of the provider within thirty days of the final payment. The information must be accepted before the profile of the physician can be updated by the DOH. The responsibility to assure that the profile is updated in an accurate and timely matter still remains with the physician.
How will this affect medical malpractice cases in Tennessee?
The implications of this new act are substantial. Physicians have a great interest in keeping their profiles updated with the DOH. If they do not, they can risk losing their licenses, and therefore, their ability to continue practicing medicine in the state of Tennessee. As such, physicians are very likely to comply with the new law due to its potential impact on their livelihood.
Complying with the law means that the DOH will now be made aware, in a very timely way, of any indications of malpractice on the part of the provider. This may provide an excellent method of keeping track of medical providers who are continually involved in malpractice cases, and whose practices demonstrate the need for intervention by the DOH to ensure that the provider offers safe and effective care.
Because cases concerning large settlements and awards will now become public knowledge, consumers may be able to make more informed choices about the providers that they use. If a healthcare professional is consistently the object of malpractice cases, those in need of care may opt to choose a provider with a less-complicated legal record. In addition, if a Tennessee malpractice medical attorney wishes to determine whether or not a provider was involved in cases similar to the one the attorney is handling, the DOH will have that information available.
Contact a Tennessee medical malpractice attorney today
The Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys at Gilreath & Associates want to help resolve your legal issues. You can count on our compassion, experience and skill to pursue a positive outcome for your case. Call us, toll-free, at 800.637.7024, or contact us using our quick form.
