Patient Access (Download as a PDF)

The Issue

In response to significant increases in the number and severity of professional liability claims filed against hospitals and other health care providers, the 78th Texas Legislature approved a package of broad liability reform measures to help restore access to physician and hospital services across Texas. Positive benefits already are occurring. Hospitals have seen a decrease in their overall costs for hospital professional liability coverage and in return have increased their ability to contribute more to the community. In addition, the number of lawsuits filed against hospitals has declined significantly, and hospitals, as a result, are better able to recruit physicians.

In 2005, Texas lawmakers preserved these 2003 reform measures and protected existing peer review and credentialing confidentiality protections. The 2003 reforms should be continued.

The CHRISTUS Health Position: Liability reform protects patient access.

CHRISTUS Health believes that there must be a balance between the need to provide affordable medical services to all persons and a fair compensation system for patients who are truly injured in connection with the rendering of those services. A malpractice related injury to patients within the care of health care providers is the extraordinary exception. The compensation system for these rare cases should not and cannot be allowed to become so unfair that it jeopardizes the very access to medical services to the communities we serve and assure patient access to necessary procedures.

January 2007