A Longitudinal Analysis of the Impact of Liability Pressure on the Supply of Obstetrician-Gynecologists

Authors: Yang, Y. Tony¹; Studdert, David M.²; Subramanian, S. V.³; Mello, Michelle M.

Source: Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2008 , pp. 21-53(33)

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Abstract:

Conventional wisdom within the medical community suggests that dramatic increases in professional liability insurance premiums cause physicians to relocate or discontinue their practices in high-cost states. We employed a mixed-effects model to investigate the effect of malpractice risk, as measured by insurance premiums and various tort reforms, on the number of obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) in the United States between 1992 and 2002. The longitudinal research design examines state-year-level data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. We found that the supply of OB/GYNs had no statistically significant association with premiums or tort reforms. Our results suggest that most OB/GYNs do not respond to liability risk by relocating out of state or discontinuing their practice, and that tort reforms such as caps on noneconomic damages do not help states attract and retain high-risk specialists.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-1461.2007.00117.x

Affiliations: 1: George Mason University 2: University of Melbourne, Australia 3: Harvard School of Public Health

Publication date: 2008-03-01