Dr. R was a 42-year-old urologist in a successful partnership with two colleagues in a small Midwestern city. When the opportunity came to incorporate lithotripsy technology into their practice, the three physicians eagerly snatched it up.
Dr. W, 45, had been in family practice for 12 years. While he was most comfortable treating adults with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, CAD, and hyperlipidemia, his patients came with the usual variety of complaints.
Dr. N was a board-certified general and abdominal surgeon who had bounced around for five years after graduating from his residency program. At last, he settled down and decided to build a practice in a Northeastern community near his alma mater.
When the emergency department nurses had difficulty passing a urethral catheter, Dr. S was the urologist on call. One such case led to a malpractice suit.
Dr. M, 56, was an old hand at the twists and turns of prostatic cancer. He’d been taught well by a urology professor who drawled, “It’s just like huntin’ swamp foxes. You never know what direction they’re gonna turn next.” Still, the professor’s wisdom failed to shield Dr. M from a malpractice suit.
Ms. J, 60, was a nurse administrator at a large HMO clinic for most of her career. Her duties were mostly recruiting, scheduling, and resolving staff problems. When she was dismissed and replaced by a younger (and lower-paid) woman, she sued for age discrimination.
At age 38, Dr. K was new to private practice. He had completed his residency three years earlier and formed a partnership with an established general urologist in the Northeast.
Dr. W, 56, was an experienced urologist in a small suburban community in the South. His surgical skills and common-sense approach earned him the trust of his patients. Many of his cases involved renal stones, and one such case involved him in a malpractice suit.
Dr. R, 32, graduated as the top resident in his urology program. He turned down an opportunity in academia to join an established group practice in his hometown. Ironically, his stellar academic credentials worked against him when he was sued for malpractice a year later.
Dr. H, 54, is a urologist who works solo and is happy to do so. Earlier in his career he had practiced in a clinic setting, and he considered himself fortunate to have “escaped from the Stalag,” as he put it to his colleagues. Dr. H felt his independence allowed him to pursue a higher standard of care. A wrenching malpractice case put that belief to the test.
