M.D.s Expect Thousands In N.J. Walkout

By Michael Ha

NU Online News Service, Jan. 20, 1:37 p.m. EST?The president of the Medical Society of New Jersey said today heexpects "thousands" of New Jersey physicians will likelyparticipate in a Feb. 3 work stoppage to protest rising malpracticeinsurance costs in the state.

Dr. Robert S. Rigolosi made that prediction in the wake of thesociety's meeting yesterday with some of the doctors planning thework stoppage.

He said there were about 150 doctors present from all parts ofNew Jersey. "We discussed their plan of action--what they are goingto do. And there was a unanimous endorsement of the job action theyplanned," Dr. Rigolosi said.

He explained that, in essence, the job action, the length ofwhich is undetermined, would involve doctors not performingelective procedures.

"There will be emergency care available to anyone who needs it.Patients who are in hospitals will be taken care of. Patients whoare on dialysis or are receiving chemotherapy will be taken careof. But any routine procedures, elective office visits, will bepostponed," Dr. Rigolosi said.

Currently, there are some 8500 member physicians in the statemedical society, Dr. Rigolosi added, and it appears that themajority of them will participate in the Feb. 3 work stoppage.

"There was a broad representation of physicians at yesterday'smeeting. The job action was supported by every medical specialtythat exists in the state. The majority of our members willparticipate in the work stoppage--it will be thousands of doctorsfrom every part of the state," he said.

Dr. Rigolosi said the planned work stoppage--which would last atleast a week--is not being organized by a single group, but ratherby a statewide, grass-roots effort.

"We are strongly supportive of the job action, but we are notorganizing it. It's organized by county societies, hospitalpresidents and by medical society members themselves from differentparts of the state. But they are all following the same template:emergencies and life-saving and life-sustaining procedures will betaken care of, and they will have on-call physicians," henoted.

Dr. Rigolosi said the planned work stoppage is the last measurefor doctors in his state.

"We have been talking to state officials. We have spoken to thegovernor as well. But their response has been that they still don'twant to have a cap on non-economic damages, which we believe iswhat's needed to stabilize the system. Millions of dollars inpunitive damages are bankrupting the system, but lawmakers,unfortunately, are predominantly lawyers and they don't want to dothis," he said.

Dr. Alan Zaccaria, a plastic surgeon in the Monmouth County townof Little Silver and one of the job action organizers, said thedoctors planning a work stoppage have received a full endorsementfrom the trustees of the Medical Society of New Jersey.

"All the counties in the state are supportive of this. Anddoctors from all counties and all specialties, not just surgeons,will participate. On Feb. 3, we will shut down all non-essentialservices, close our offices, and not schedule elective procedures,"Dr. Zaccaria said.

He said that through the work stoppage, doctors hope to increasethe public and legislative awareness as to the severity of theproblem the New Jersey physicians are facing.

"We can no longer afford medical malpractice insurance premiums.And this is driving physicians out of the state, forcing them intoan early retirement, and forcing them to change the scope of theirpractice--limiting high-risk procedures, for example," Dr. Zaccariasaid.

"The message we want to get out is that without immediate reliefin the form of effective tort reform, which would include a cap onpain and suffering, we will not be able to deliver the qualityhealth care New Jersey citizens have grown accustomed to," hesaid.

Dr. Zaccaria also noted that the recent walkout by some twodozen West Virginia surgeons to protest high medical malpracticeinsurance costs provided a spark for New Jersey doctors to act.

"It was a necessary action. And because of the timely nature oftheir walkout, it got the ball rolling here as well," he said.

Dr. Zaccaria said he hopes doctors' job action in his state willget the attention of the state legislature, as it did in WestVirginia. Last Friday, West Virginia's House of Representativesapproved a measure that sets a cap on non-economic damages andmakes other changes designed to lower the cost of malpracticeinsurance. The bill is now before the State Senate.

Prior to the doctors meeting Sunday, State Health and SeniorServices Commissioner Clifton R. Lacy issued a statement saying hisdepartment disagrees with the physicians' plans to stage a workstoppage.

"Medical malpractice insurance issues are already receivingenormous attention from DHSS, Department of Banking and Insurance,the Legislature and the health care leadership of this state. Inaddition, we have significant concerns that a work stoppage couldnegatively affect patients access to physicians.

This administration has worked in good faith with New Jerseydoctors on this national problem. We will continue to work with ourphysician colleagues on meaningful solutions. While thisprogresses, the physician community of New Jersey should not pursuea work stoppage, but rather continue to actively discuss the short-and long-term solutions to the medical malpractice insuranceproblem," the statement said.

Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Medical Societybegan running newspaper ads warning that the public's access toquality care in the state is being impacted by rising malpracticeinsurance rates.