Fall 2004

Dear Colleague:

How much are you paying for medical liability insurance? Are you seeing more high-risk emergency patients because your colleagues in the community cannot see them? Are you ready to take a stand for medical liability reform? The medical liability crisis continues to permeate the practice of medicine in Northern Ohio. You MUST get involved in this debate - do not sit on the sidelines and let others do this for you.

There will be opposition lining up against us throughout the region. We need a sustained grassroots effort by physicians to fend off the opposition. Physicians must mobilize and join in the battle. The AMC/NOMA has developed the enclosed materials to help you provide information to your patients and legislators regarding the medical liability crisis and the importance of maintaining the balance of the Ohio Supreme Court.

• The enclosed brochure prepared by the AMC/NOMA for our members' details the problems with the current system and the solutions for changing it. This can be used for distribution to your patients. The brochure encourages your patients to talk to you, their doctor, about the need to support liability reforms and the importance of their vote on November 2nd. 
• A second enclosure is a sample letter that you can adapt to send to your patients urging their support of medical liability issues as well as maintaining the balance of the Ohio Supreme Court. Please note that there are specific instructions included at the top of the letter with regard to the rules for mailing this type of letter. 
• A third enclosure is an informational piece on the three candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court that must be elected in order to maintain the balance and fairness in the court. It is imperative that the balance of the court remains intact in order to assure fair review of the tort reform laws.
• The fourth and final enclosure is a poster prepared by the AMC/NOMA for our members that may be used in your office to provide information to your patients on what they can do to help their doctor. 

We are counting on your support and ask for a sustained and dedicated effort by all of the physicians in Northeastern Ohio to maintain the tort reform laws and the current balance of the Ohio Supreme Court. If you have any questions on this reform kit information, please contact the AMC/NOMA staff at (216)-520-1000. 

Sincerely,

William H. Seitz, Jr., M.D.
President