JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Proponents of restrictions on malpractice lawsuits claim that tort reform will improve access to medical care. ⋯ Tort reform increased physician supply. Further research is needed to determine whether reform-induced increases in physician supply benefited patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Treatment of complicated grief: a randomized controlled trial.
Complicated grief is a debilitating disorder associated with important negative health consequences, but the results of existing treatments for it have been disappointing. ⋯ Complicated grief treatment is an improved treatment over interpersonal psychotherapy, showing higher response rates and faster time to response.
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How often physicians alter their clinical behavior because of the threat of malpractice liability, termed defensive medicine, and the consequences of those changes, are central questions in the ongoing medical malpractice reform debate. ⋯ Defensive medicine is highly prevalent among physicians in Pennsylvania who pay the most for liability insurance, with potentially serious implications for cost, access, and both technical and interpersonal quality of care.
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Previous studies have reported that the number and distribution of trauma centers are uneven across states, suggesting large differences in access to trauma center care. ⋯ Selecting trauma centers based on geographic need, appropriately locating medical helicopter bases, and establishing formal agreements for sharing trauma care resources across states should be considered to improve access to trauma care in the United States.