Physician's weak points at court.

The Medical Association of Thailand invites its member to attend a meeting on the nation’s medical liability system(1). Since 1973, the number of malpractice suit went up from 250 to over 500 per year. Furthermore, the cost of the medical litigation and each malpractice suit is increasing(2). Besides, each Baht paid in damages is a Baht that otherwise could be spent on patient care, reducing the amount available to be spent on each patient. This crisis is therefore preventing physicians from providing optimal and efficient care. A medical liability discussion is necessary to restore sanity to a system that right now severely inhibits physicians’ efforts to learn from mistakes and make health care safer for everyone. We believe that the health care, legal systems and patients must come together to resolve this issue. The ultimate goal is to make health care as safe as it can be, assuring appropriate redress for patients when this is warranted and allowing the doctor to learn. As Hippocrates’ oath stated: “I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them.” Thus we must actively pursue patient safety initiatives that prevent medical injury, promote open communication between patients and doctors and create a just compensation system.