Profession
Delegates applaud Tennessee county's medical expert pilot program
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 28, 2005
Delegates to the AMA's Interim Meeting passed a resolution applauding a Hamilton County, Tenn., pilot program that allows judges to call on an independent medical expert to help evaluate the credibility and admissibility of medical testimony.
The program was jointly developed by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society and the Chattanooga Bar Assn. The county medical society provides the judge with a list of physicians from Tennessee and contiguous states who would make appropriate independent expert witnesses in a particular case. The judge cannot choose a physician whose medical liability insurance is provided through the same company involved in the trial.
The House of Delegates also directed the AMA to monitor the progress of the program, which was announced in late October. Delegates also reaffirmed existing AMA policy opposing unscientific or false testimony.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/11/28/prbf1128.htm.