Senate Bill 88 – Arbitration
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| Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, my name is Jonathan Myles and I am a practicing physician at the Cleveland Clinic and a member of the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland/Northern Ohio Medical Association. I am past-president of the Ohio Society of Pathologists and have served for many years on the Federal and State Affairs Committee of the College of American Pathologists. One of the greatest resources we have in this state is our Health Care industry that is World renown for its expertise and innovation in patient care. The health care resources in Ohio provide jobs for its citizens and the practice of medicine is the largest employer in Northeast Ohio. We all know that Ohio has lost many manufacturing jobs over the past 20 years and our population continues to decline. We must do what we can to preserve and strengthen one of our leading industries, which is Health Care to prevent further deterioration of the economic climate in Ohio. Malpractice cost is widely recognized as a problem and we must do what we can to prevent our Health Care professionals from re-locating to prevent further loss of jobs and ensure that our citizens receive the highest quality health care possible.
Senates Bill 88 will provide necessary malpractice reform in this state while preserving the rights of patients whom have suffered from medical negligence. The bill will discourage frivolous lawsuits, which unnecessarily increases health care costs and takes time away from health care professionals who could otherwise be providing patient care. The Arbitration Panel will provide the opportunity to settle cases in a less expensive setting than open court. The majority of cases will not progress beyond the Arbitration Panel stage. If both parties do not accept the Arbitration Panel decision, either party has the right to proceed to trial, preserving both parties’ rights. Senate Bill 88 will provide the opportunity for an objective Arbitration Panel to evaluate a case and decrease the cost to the system and reduce the case load on our court system. I ask you as committee members to support Senate Bill 88. It preserves patient’s rights while at the same time discourages frivolous lawsuits and will reduce cost to the health care and legal system. This bill will help preserve and strengthen our Health Care System in Ohio, which is one of the greatest resources we have. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the committee. |
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