CHILD NEUROLOGIST AS EXPERT WITNESS - A REPORT OF THE ETHICS AND PRACTICE COMMITTEES OF THE CHILD-NEUROLOGY-SOCIETY

A questionnaire was circulated to 1126 members of the Child Neurology Society to assess their opinions regarding the current medical-legal s ystem and to determine the involvement of members of the Child Neurolo gy Society as expert witnesses. Two-hundred eighty-five questionnaires were completed, corresponding to a response rate of 25.3%. Of the res pondents, 52% were child neurologists in university-based, academic pr actices, whereas 32% were in private practice. Approximately 90% of th e respondents reviewed cases for attorneys, and 37% of these reviewed five or more cases per year The majority, 86%, had testified or been d eposed as a treating physician, and 42% of the respondents had been th e object of a medical liability lawsuit. Only 30% of the respondents b elieved that the current medical malpractice system was fail; and near ly 90% of the respondents indicated that the system should be reformed . Two thirds of the respondents indicated that there should be a mecha nism for peer review and more than half believed that the Child Neurol ogy Society should monitor the expert witness activities of its member s. These results indicate that although child neurologists frequently participate as medical experts, the respondents have an unfavorable op inion of the current medical liability system. Based on the results of the questionnaire and the need for reform in the current system, moni toring of the expert witness activities of child neurologists should b e considered.