Medical Malpractice and Good Samaritans

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Rep. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction has plans to introduce a bill to the Colorado Legislature (Good Samaritans in Health Care Act of 2006) which would protect doctors who volunteer their services from medical malpractice lawsuits.

The bill is viewed among its supporters as a way to protect health care providers such as nurses, doctors, physical therapists, etc. from lawsuits when they are volnteering their services to help low-income families as well as those without health insurance.

Several states have passed legislation similar to what Penry proposes. Florida, for example, frees medical volunteers from costly insurance concerns by granting immunity from medical malpractice liability.

One version of the Good Samaritan concept calls for medical volunteers becoming temporary state employees. If patients decided to later bring malpractice claims, they would end up suing the state. A liability trust fund created to offset litigation expenses would then cover any payout.

Read the entire volunteer medical malpractice article from GJSentinal.com