“These unrelated provisions were added to try to draw voter support for the [medical malpractice damages cap] increase, which did not poll well by itself,” Dr. Anderson said in an interview. “The result is a cynical and manipulative ballot measure, opposed by an unprecedented coalition of medical providers, insurers, businesses, organized labor, civil liberties and senior groups, local governments, teachers, and school districts.”
Dr. Ejnes emphasized that remedies to physician drug and alcohol abuse are still needed. An estimated 8%-18% of physicians are impaired by drugs or alcohol at some point in their careers, according to the Annals article. But the proposed initiative is not the answer, Dr. Ejnes said.
“Developing a system that achieves the goal of detecting and preventing physician impairment requires a thoughtful dialogue among all stakeholders, led by the medical profession,” he said. “A ballot initiative intended to win votes, debated in sound bites and Tweets and creating more problems than it solves, is not the right solution.”
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