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Factor in the new pressure to control costs, and doctors are in a real bind. The medical profession sees increased danger in the new era of managed care, in which hospitals and clinics must treat more patients more quickly with smaller staffs. "In the rush for cost containment, the caliber of the health-care team may be decreasing," warns the A.M.A.'s Todd.
The challenge ahead will be to deliver care at a reasonable price without compromising safety. Perhaps the only benefit of highly publicized cases like Betsy Lehman's is that they will spur hospitals to strengthen the safeguards needed to keep such tragedies as uncommon as possible.
--Reported by Lawrence Mondi and Alice Park/New York and Rod Paul/Boston