And, thereby, share the responsibility for the health of the patient directly with the patient. When it comes to tort reform and policy decisions, physicians can influence lawmakers. And such activism is a healthy outlet for feelings of frustration with the legal system, says Andrew. When you feel that there's something wrong, if you can work on rectifying it or at least sharing and validating with others that this is in fact a deficiency that you can all acknowledge, that's one of the ways to help deal with those feelings that something is not right. ACEP offers many opportunities for activism.
State legislatures are where malpractice tort reform is accomplished.
Getting involved with the state legislative activities of your chapter is a good way to affect reform. Take care of your health. An emergency department is an inherently stressful environment. And, of course, there is the added physical strain of shift work rotations. When the stress of a malpractice suit is added to the mix, it can take a significant toll on an emergency physician's physical health.