The study, based on national data from the American Medical Association's Physician Masterfile, shows that states failing to adopt malpractice reforms recorded a smaller increase in the number of physicians from 1985 to 2001 than states with reforms. Further research is needed to determine whether reform-induced increases in physician supply benefited patients.
The Project on Medical Liability in Pennsylvania — an independent, nonpartisan effort financed by The Pew Charitable Trusts — supported the study.
View the report abstract on www.JAMA.com--Impact of Malpractice Reforms on the Supply of Physician Services.
For a copy of the complete reports, contact: jann_ingmire@jama-archives.org.