Doctors' protest slows surgeries

Elective procedures drop in Hillsborough hospitals as doctors make a statement in the malpractice insurance debate.

Hundreds of elective surgeries aren't being performed at Hillsborough County hospitals this week as doctors protest high malpractice insurance premiums.

"This was doctors who were really angry who have a need to let people know how they feel," said orthopedic surgeon Michael Wasylik, president-elect of the medical staff at St. Joseph's Hospital.

One of them, Tampa urologist Alden Cockburn, already is planning for the next target. Local doctors could target declining reimbursements by canceling contracts with managed care companies, he said. But not yet.

"One dragon at a time," said Cockburn, who has been among the most vocal in the loosely organized protest.

At St. Joe's, doctors perform 300 surgeries and 150 endoscopies in a typical week. By Monday afternoon, the hospital had 12 surgeries and 20 endoscopies. St. Joseph's Women's Hospital also had a drop in surgeries.

Doctors at University Community Hospital and its Carrollwood campus perform 90 surgeries on a typical Monday. This Monday, they performed 23.

At Brandon Regional Hospital, elective surgeries dropped to about half their usual total of 40 to 50 each day.

But spokesmen at the hospitals said emergency operations and surgeries proceeded as normal.

"We don't want to make the public angry," Cockburn said. "We're going out of our way to make sure emergencies are handled."

Many hospital staffers took vacation, while others will work in different departments this week. Some St. Joe's staffers could be forced to take unpaid time off, but hospital officials said Monday they are still trying to find places for them to work.

Protesting surgeons want the hospitals to let them drop their malpractice insurance policies without first having to prove they can pay up to $750,000 in claims in one year.

Hospital officials say that if they did so, their own insurance costs would go up.

They also want to bring public attention to their increasing premiums and more pressure for malpractice reform.

Wasylik said he doubts the hospitals will change their insurance policies. Cockburn was more optimistic.

"I think there's hope," Cockburn said. "I think they realize the fix that doctors are in."

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