News

Birth Center reprieve doesn't solve overall malpractice issues


Published: November 20, 2008

The decision by Northeast Health System trustees to keep the North Shore Birth Center open for the time being is welcome news.

The affinity parents from throughout the region have for the facility, which offers natural birthing on the campus of Beverly Hospital, came through loud and clear in the cries of protest that followed a Nov. 5 announcement that it might close.

But the fact that trustees were even considering such a move points to the litigious environment in which hospitals, physicians, nurses and midwives operate these days. The original announcement cited "a significant rise in the cost of malpractice insurance premiums" as a reason for the possible shuttering of the facility which has been in existence since 1980. And those escalating premiums can be traced to the increased cost of defending and settling lawsuits filed against those in the medical profession.

Those who have been victims of medical negligence or incompetence certainly deserve compensation. But too many lawyers also troll the airwaves in search of potential plaintiffs and a hefty payment, even in trivial cases. And according to a recent Massachusetts Medical Society study, there are some $1.4 billion worth of unnecessary tests ordered and unneeded medicines prescribed annually in this state. According to the MMA's Dr. Manish Sethi, who's with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, "the fear of being sued is driving physicians to defensive medicine and dramatically increasing health care costs."

The cost of litigation is not the only cause of skyrocketing health costs, but it's a significant one that needs to be addressed on the state and national levels.

The decision by the Northeast trustees to delay shutting down the Birth Center shows that the trustees seem willing to listen to residents' concerns. And that alone can help bridge the deep chasm of distrust between Northeast and the community - especially the health care consumers of Cape Ann.

But unless there is some relief from soaring malpractice rates, the North Shore Birth Center's reprieve may prove to be a short one. That would, indeed, be a serious loss.