Doctors Settlements and Verdicts To Be Published in NC

The N.C. Medical Board has passed a new rule requiring the posting of certain payments made by physicians in NC to patients as a result of a claim of negligence. The measure was hotly debated, and the question has been posed whether giving the public access to this information will serve the public. Information for its own sake can be debated. But from a purely practical standpoint, the question is whether the posting will change anyone's behavior. I suppose that depends on whether patients use the medical board site to gather information about prospective physicians before scheduling an appointment. The effect of the new rule thus far has been to prevent settlements of cases currently in litigation. Seems that some doctors who were perviously open to settling a claim are now choosing to take a chance that a jury will not find them liable for a patient's injury. Does that ultimately serve the public? We will watch and see.