AMCNO keynotes nationally recognized City Club Forum

The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland was honored to have Dr. John A. Bastulli, AMCNO Vice President of Legislative Affairs invited as a keynote speaker at the City Club Forum on Wednesday, August 22nd. Dr. Bastulli was the featured speaker representing the viewpoint of organized medicine and physicians on the issue of tort reform and the need for a mandatory arbitration process in Ohio. Dr. Bastulli faced Peter Weinberger, Esq., in a debate where he was able to aptly provide the audience with concise information on the need for a change in the tort reform system.

Dr. Bastulli opened the forum by providing detailed information on SB 59, legislation, sponsored by Senator Kevin Coughlin of Cuyahoga Falls and submitted on behalf of the AMCNO, which would establish a pilot program that requires all cases of alleged medical negligence be submitted to non-binding arbitration. He noted that last year; a similar piece of legislation sponsored by Senator Coughlin, SB 88, passed the Ohio Senate late in the legislative year but was not heard by the Ohio House prior to the legislatures recess. 

Dr. Bastulli outlined the intent of SB 59, which directs the head of the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) in collaboration with the Ohio Supreme Court, to establish a pilot program mandating arbitration for medical negligence claims in specific areas of the state. The intent of the pilot program is to determine the benefits of using arbitration in disputes. By structuring a required arbitration process that focuses on liability only – as outlined in SB 59, meritorious cases of any size are likely to be resolved and frivolous claims are less likely to be pursued. “SB 59 is legislation designed to preserve the rights of litigants, promote a more hospitable medical malpractice environment, foster patient safety initiatives and reduce healthcare expenditures,” concluded Dr. Bastulli.

Following Dr. Bastulli’s remarks Mr. Peter Weinberger spent the majority of his presentation blaming the medical liability problem on the medical malpractice insurance companies. A complete copy of this forum is accessible through the City Club website at www.cityclub.org.