Workgroup on Medical Malpractice Appointed by Governor

July 26, 2012 -- Governor John Kitzhaber has appointed a patient safety and defensive medicine workgroup to develop recommendations on medical malpractice reform for the 2013 legislative session. That workgroup, which holds its first meeting August 2, is expected to submit its recommendations to the interim committees of the legislature by
October 1.

The goals of the workgroup are:

• To improve the practice environment to allow physicians to learn from medical errors and improve patient safety;
• To more effectively compensate individuals who are injured as a result of medical errors; and,
• To reduce the collateral costs associated with the medical liability system including costs associated with insurance administration, litigation and defensive medicine.

The workgroup is co-chaired by a trial attorney and physician -- Derek Johnson, an attorney with Johnson Johnson Larson and Schaller, PC, which represents plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death cases --- and Dr. William “Bud” Pierce, a co-founder and practicing oncologist with the Hematology Oncology Group in Salem who’s the current president of the Oregon Medical Association.

Other members include:

• State Rep. Jason Conger (R-Bend),

• State Rep. Chris Garrett (D-Lake Oswego),

• State Sen. Jeff Kruse (R-Roseburg),

• State Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene),

• Larry Mullins, president of Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, and

• Vicki Nakashima, a public member.

TO LEARN MORE

For more information about this workgroup, click here.