Is it possible?

Medical Justice’s Jeffrey Segal proposes a model that benefits both patients and doctors, as well as cut costs.

The premise is based on immunizing doctors who follow evidence-based practice guidelines from liability.

As Dr. Segal writes, “Physicians would be armed with knowledge of how to predictably avoid an adversarial legal process. The conventional tort system remains as a backstop incentivizing the doctor to voluntarily embrace efficient best practices. Care will be more consistent and patients will be safer. Dollars will be saved.”

How much? Enough “to bundle the disability and life insurance policies at no extra cost; pay for health information technology infrastructure and maintenance; with enough money left over to buy a health insurance policy for every uninsured American.”

Such an idea apparently has support from physicians, patients, and even plaintiff attorneys, whose consensus will be needed in any health and tort reform package going forward.

It’s this type of out-of-the-box thinking that policy wonks and politicians need to take more seriously if they hope to successfully reform the health care system.