W.Va. M.D.s Wait For Governor's Proposals

By Michael Ha

NU Online News Service, Jan. 6, 4:26 p.m. EST?More than two-dozen West Virginia surgeons who took leaves of absence to protest high medical malpractice insurance costs remained off the job today, waiting to hear a proposal from Gov. Bob Wise.

"Governor Wise is in the process of putting together a statewide solution for medical malpractice insurance. This will be announced in his state of the state address this Wednesday," said Tom Susman, the state's insurance and retirement services director.

Mr. Susman has been part of talks with the doctors, who took 30-day leaves before they walked off the job.

"The governor has indicated for some time that he is aware of the situation. We spent some time to work with the physicians and try to convince them that the walkout is not the best course of action. I wish they could have waited until this Wednesday," Mr. Susman told National Underwriter.

"We are now changing our focus from discussions with the physicians to putting together a solution for the state," he said.

Currently, 18 doctors are on leaves of absence, affecting three Northern Panhandle hospitals in West Virginia: Wheeling Hospital, Ohio Valley Medical Center and Reynolds Memorial Hospital. Another 10 doctors are also taking a leave from Weirton Medical Center in Weirton.

"We continue to transfer patients with heart cases that may require cauterization and possible balloon angioplasty, or stent placement or even cardiac surgery. There have been six transfers so far," said Dr. Donald Hofreuter, chief executive officer at Wheeling Hospital in Wheeling, W.Va., one of the four regional hospitals impacted by the walkout.

"For an abundance of caution, we have sent them to other facilities in Pittsburgh or Morgantown, W.Va. We also have had some life-threatening situations, and some surgeons have come in during leaves of absence when they were called," Dr. Hofreuter said.

"The physicians are all concerned about this matter. This is not something they are taking lightly. They are just as eager to come back," said Dr. Hofreuter.

"But I am a cockeyed optimist. With the state legislature, governor and physicians all working together, a solution will be found," he said.

"What we are doing now is just waiting for the governor to provide specifics on Jan. 8 on medical malpractice insurance reforms," said John Frankovitch, a senior administrator at Weirton Medical Center.

Mr. Frankovitch said that his hospital would love to hear something from the governor, "but so far, we have heard nothing. And there have not been any additional meetings since last week."

Mr. Frankovitch argued that the only way for the walkout to end is for the governor to propose genuinely meaningful reforms. "That's the only way this will come to an end. We are all anxiously waiting for governor's response," he said.

Special Reports /

W.Va. M.D.s Wait For Governor's Proposals

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