Doctor sues medical association, claiming intimidation.CCL 1. CCL - Coral Common LISP. 2. CCL - Computer Control Language. English-like query language based on COLINGO, for IBM 1401 and IBM 1410. , plaintiff attorney and ATLA ATLA Association of Trial Lawyers of America ATLA American Theological Library Association ATLA American Trial Lawyers Association ATLA Air Transport Licensing Authority (Hong Kong) ATLA Avatar: The Last Airbender stalwart Jim McKenzie, and a San Francisco physician are taking on the medical industry's intimidation of doctors who testify for plaintiffs in malpractice cases. Dr. John Fullerton has sued the Florida Medical Association (FMA FMA Full Metal Alchemist (gaming) FMA Federal Marriage Amendment FMA Financial Market Authority (Austrian: Österreichische Finanzmarktaufsicht) FMA Financial Management Association ) and three doctors for damages and an injunction to end the FMA's "peer review" of medical testimony. (Fullerton v. Fla. Med. Ass'n, No. 37 2004 CA 0001249 (Fla., Leon County Cir. Ct. filed May 27, 2004).) "Peer review" programs are among the medical industry's latest attempts to block access to courts. The American Medical Association American Medical Association (AMA), professional physicians' organization (founded 1847). Its goals are to protect the interests of American physicians, advance public health, and support the growth of medical science. (AMA (Automatic Message Accounting) The recording and reporting of telephone calls within a telephone system. It includes the calling and called parties and start and stop times of the call. ) has endorsed such programs, modeled on a program run by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS AANS American Association of Neurological Surgeons AANS American Association for Netherlandic Studies ). "You won't see 'witness intimidation' in any of the documents creating these programs," said CCL lawyer John Vail, "but when the AMA passed the resolutions, the AANS had reviewed approximately 40 cases, all of them involving witnesses who testified in favor of plaintiffs. Not a single case of 'bad' testimony in favor of a doctor. Do the math." The underlying dispute arose after Fullerton testified for a plaintiff in a medical malpractice Improper, unskilled, or negligent treatment of a patient by a physician, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional. case in Tampa. The jury found for the defense. The physician defendants then shot off a letter to the FMA accusing Fullerton of perjury and manipulating testimony for personal gain. They wanted his testimony referred to a committee of physicians for "peer review." Fullerton's suit alleges defamation, abuse of economic power, and use of the FMA for a corrupt purpose. "Amazingly," said Vail, "the FMA program has no substantive standards for what is 'good' or 'bad' testimony. Doctors huddle, and if they don't like what you've said, you get the medical equivalent of a scarlet letter." Fullerton was named "Physician of the Year" in 2003 by the National Republican Congressional Committee's Physicians' Advisory Board, and San Francisco has celebrated "Dr. John Fullerton Day" in honor of volunteer work the doctor did for the medically underserved population. "John Fullerton is a good doctor and a good citizen, and the allegations made against him are outrageous," said Vail. |
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