A well known midwife practice has found a new home after its partnership with Mercy Medical Center has come to an end, due to the increasing cost of malpractice insurance. The group, Kathleen Slone CNM & Associates, has plans to join the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, located in Towson, in the near future.
Late last year, Mercy Medical Center informed the practice that it would be breaking its ties after two medical malpractice cases drove up their cost of insurance. As a result, they were forced to find ways to save money, and this was one of the measures they decided to take.
After a bit of worry about being able to find another partner, the practice was able to catch on with University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. Mercy Medical Center previously covered the cost of malpractice insurance for every midwife. The office manager for the practice said, “We are relieved and thrilled that we are able to continue to see patients.” She also noted that the cost of insurance is cheaper in Baltimore County than in a city setting.
The University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center is not worried about the cost of insurance, stating that they have plans to pay it for the practice.
This story goes a long way in showing that medical malpractice of any kind, such as errors in hospitals, can have a negative impact on many parties. The person who was a victim of the malpractice has rights, but others, such as a third party practice, are often left on the outside looking in.