How one physician-legislator is trying to retain doctors in his home state
Unfriendly malpractice laws and a high cost-of-living are driving physicians away from Connecticut, according to State Rep. Prasad Srinivasin. And he should know, since he’s a physician himself.
Srinivasin, a board-certified allergist and the only MD in Connecticut’s state legislature, told the Associated Press he ran into problems hiring an allergist at his practice because of the state being perceived as too expensive and too risky for physicians.
Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges backs up his fears that Connecticut has a physician retention problem. The state ranked 41 out of 50 states by retaining only 19 percent of its medical school graduates in 2014. The retention rate increased to 34.7 percent for physicians who complete their residency in Connecticut and 51.8 percent for both graduates and residents in the state—but those figures are still below national averages.
The solution, according to Srinivasin, is changing the state’s malpractice system. For more on how earlier efforts have failed but how next year’s legislative session could offer a breakthrough, click on the link below:
John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.