March 16, 2023
Legislation to promote candid conversations between physicians and patients following an adverse event at a hospital or clinic, passed the House Judiciary Committee on March 14.
Under today’s current litigious climate, physicians and other providers are advised by attorneys to avoid speaking with affected patients and their families because of a fear of potential malpractice lawsuits. This results in the injured patients receiving very little information about what happened to them.
HF 1181 (Rep. Norris, DFL-Blaine) implements the Communication and Optimal Resolution (CANDOR) model that was developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. It is intended to improve patient safety by encouraging conversations when both patients and providers agree to voluntarily engage in open conversations without fear that what is said will be later used in a lawsuit.
MMA President Will Nicholson, MD, testified in support of the bill, which is an MMA legislative priority. “This legislation is first and foremost about patient safety,” Nicholson said. “After a bad outcome, patients want to understand what went wrong and what led to the bad outcome. However, in the current environment, providers are told by the attorneys not to say anything for fear of litigation. Therefore, a patient or their family may never hear about what went wrong.”
The bill is also supported by the Minnesota Association for Justice (MAJ), representing the state’s plaintiff attorneys. States that have passed CANDOR laws have seen cases being resolved in less than one year, versus a lawsuit that may take several years.
HF 1181 passed with a unanimous vote and was sent to the House floor. The Senate companion bill is expected to be heard in the next two weeks.
May 29, 2025
As the Legislature works to complete its work on the state’s two-year budget, another deadline is looming. Legislators are required to pass a balanced budget before the end of the fiscal year—June 30, 2025. If they don’t meet that deadline, the state will begin a partial shutdown.
May 29, 2025
Registration has opened for the Empowering Physicians: A Night of Reflection and Engagement event, featuring best-selling author Elisabeth Rosenthal, MD.
May 29, 2025
The AMA is encouraging physicians to contact their U.S. senators and urge them to revise the reconciliation bill passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives. While the bill includes language that would stabilize Medicare physician payments, it also threatens to cripple Medicaid and CHIP.