President's MessageFebruary 2024
Happy 2024! I hope everyone was able to enjoy some quality time with family and friends over the holiday season. We are thrilled to hear of the news of the Texas Supreme Court’s favorable ruling for Dr. Marsillo in the Dunnick v. Marsillo. In this case, the plaintiff alleged willful and wanton negligence in Dr. Marsillo’s treatment of a pediatric patient with a snake bite. The court not only reversed the Court of Appeals' erroneous ruling, but also issued a judgment in favor of Dr. Marsillo. This victory is a significant achievement that has positive implications for all Emergency Medicine Physicians in maintaining willful and wanton as the standard of proof in medical malpractice cases. This case underscores the importance of our collective diligence in preserving the willful and wanton statute in Texas. Without this legislation, the practice of emergency medicine in this state could revert back to the ‘wild west’ days before 2003. Pre-tort law, Harris County (Houston) saw three (3) malpractice cases per physician at one point. Let’s work together to prevent a return to those challenging times. Encourage your friends and colleagues to join TCEP so that we may represent a larger number of physicians when engaging with legislators. Additionally, consider contributing to our political action committee, EMPACT, to support the presence of physician- and medicine-friendly legislators. TCEP CONNECT 2024 is approaching, taking place on April 19-20th, and registration is open. Join us as we celebrate our 50th anniversary with a 1950s-themed party and our annual business meeting. If you’re interested in serving on the board of directors, please submit your application by the March 10th deadline. Voting will take place at the annual meeting, and we welcome you to be a part of our team. I look forward to seeing you at Margaritaville Lake Resort in Lake Conroe, TX, this April. |
