Editor:

The Illinois State Medical Society could not agree more with the majority of Americans who believe Congress should deal with medical malpractice reform and offer some kind of protection to doctors and hospitals from outrageous lawsuits, as reported in the Tribune 11/19/09.

Of course, that is what you might expect from the organization that represents 12,000 physicians in Illinois.  But when 54 percent of Americans, including Republicans, Democrats and Independents, say they want to end defensive medicine practices and control runaway jury awards in medical liability cases, Congress should listen… and so should the Illinois Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments a year ago on the constitutionality of Illinois’ medical malpractice reform law that passed in 2005.  These reforms were enacted during a time of crisis and patient access to medical care was threatened due to physicians being forced to leave Illinois.  The law, which has been challenged by trial lawyers in Cook County, institutes many of the reforms the majority of Americans say they want, such as caps on runaway jury awards. 

James L. Milam, M.D.
President, Illinois State Medical Society