The challenges imposed by venue shopping on Pennsylvania’s hospitals combined with a rise in nuclear verdicts are negatively impacting hospitals throughout the state and threatening their ability to operate according to a recent article by healthcare industry trade publication Becker’s Hospital Review.
As noted in the article, the Commonwealth has one of the worst medical liability climates in the country. The double punch of high-priced tagged nuclear verdicts and the legal instability that comes with venue shopping are posing significant legal and financial risks for hospital systems – particularly in rural areas of the state. The article highlights that 6 rural hospitals in the Commonwealth have closed over the past 5 years – with another 18 at risk. Of these 18 hospitals, 10 have been deemed an “imminent threat.” With the closing of rural hospitals and specialty services – particularly maternal medicine – access to care is becoming an increasing problem.
You can read the article in its entirety here.