Business Times reports that according to an organisation representing obstetrician-gynaecologists (ob-gyns), skyrocketing liability claims were among the factors behind an exodus from SA.
The rise in legal claims means ob-gyns can now expect to pay more than R1m a year for malpractice insurance, about four times more than they did six years ago. Johannes van Waart of the SA Society of Obstreticians and Gynaecologists (Sasog) indicated: "The indemnity insurance premiums are high not because of the number of claims but because the actual claims in obstetrics are high and can come many years later. While in 2015 the highest quantum for a claim would have been in the region of R20m, it is not uncommon nowadays to see an obstetrics claim of R50m-R80m." He opined that that one of the reasons patients were claiming dramatically bigger amounts could be that personal-injury lawyers were seeking a new income stream because of legislative changes affecting the Road Accident Fund (RAF). But, the RAF said they had no data that would either support or counter Van Waart's assertion about personal-liability lawyers. Van Waart advised that SA has almost 800 obstetricians, but the number was dropping due to emigration or doctors ceasing to practise. He said Sasog did not have formal statistics on how many ob-gyns have left SA but, on anecdotal evidence, the number was rising. Dr Chris Archer of the SA Private Practitioners Forum said: "I think there are quite a few young doctors who have decided not to pursue obstetrics and gynaecology because of the perceived risks and the high costs of malpractice insurance."
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Penelope Mashegoat at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
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