Tennessee recognizes the need for tort reform

“If you smoke and need surgery, there are several dozen doctors in Memphis willing to crack your chest, but you can only see the best guy if you’re a veteran.

Cardiothoracic surgeon Hammond Cole is the only doctor of his type in Shelby County who specializes in lung tumors, but when his malpractice premiums went up 60% in one year he threw in the towel. Now, Cole practices full time at Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he’s protected from malpractice by federal statutes.

The Memphis Medical Society and the Tennessee Medical Association are pointing to Cole as proof that physician shortages are finally coming to Tennessee, arguing that it’s time for tort reform.”