Assessing the Impact of Tort Reforms on Physician Supply Trends in Texas

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the trends in physician supply following the 2003 enactment of tort reforms in the state of Texas. Methods: The data used in this study are from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Interrupted time-series analysis evaluates the data for trends in regards to the number of physicians per 100,000 residents in the state of Texas as a whole and also the physician trends for the five most populated Texas counties. Results: The results show that tort reforms have not had an effect on physician supply in Texas. Conclusions: The promise of more physicians coming to Texas after tort reforms were enacted has not been met. There is a strong likelihood that the underserved areas of the state that were supposed to benefit from tort reform continue to face shortages of physicians in their respective area.

Name thesis:degree_name

Masters in Public Administration

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Public Administration

Grantor

Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Garrett, Jeremy

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Tajalli, Hassan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Brown, Christopher Ralph
• Bernal, Phillip

• tort reform
• damages caps
• defensive medicine
• physician supply
• House Bill 4
• Texas public policy
• insurance premiums
• doctor shortages

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/5039

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/5039