LETTER: Vote Invites Return of Bad Doctors

To the editor:

Congratulations, Nevada. By passing Question 3, you have allowed bad doctors to flourish in Nevada. The doctors can now play golf, drive their Mercedes and maim patients in Nevada without even a care. I will leave Nevada (like our governor, like the head of a local HMO, like local doctors) for my medical treatment.

To be sure, Nevada has some excellent doctors. However, rather than kick the bad doctors out, the good doctors let the bad doctors continue to practice. When did any of the doctors who supported Question 3 report a bad doctor to the Board of Examiners? Unfortunately, the good doctors had to pay for the actions of the bad doctors with increased malpractice insurance premiums. Now, we all have to pay. However, we pay in flesh and blood, not money.

The populace in Nevada failed to understand that by passing Question 3, a “welcome back” sign has been posted for the bad doctors that were forced out. The physicians behind Question 3 have violated the Hippocratic Oath: “First, do no harm.” By lining their wallets instead of looking out for patients, the harm is clear.

Just remember, you reap what you sow. Bad medical care not only hurts patients and their families, but also the community as a whole.

ROBERT E. MURDOCK

LAS VEGAS

The writer is an attorney.