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BCMS – TOGETHER
WE STAND

A Look Back and Ahead

with Dr. Phillip W. Voltz, Jr.

Phillip W. Voltz, Jr., MD is interviewed by Monica Jones, BCMS COO

A lmost 70 years of being a member of the Bexar County Med- legislature. BCMS physicians were selected to testify and offer prepared

remarks and documented cases. In the July 1975 president’s message, Dr.
ical Society (BCMS), Phillip W. Voltz, Jr., MD, Radiation
Oncology Specialist, and a BCMS member for life visited
the BCMS office. During a very candid interview, Dr. Voltz took us back Voltz said, “The professional liability insurance crisis in Texas and the nation
has done more than anything I have ever seen to stimulate our members into
when he was the 77th BCMS President in 1973. activity, involvement, and unity. I haven’t met or communicated with a
single member who hasn’t volunteered to work in every way possible to help
At 93 years old, Dr. Voltz is the eldest living BCMS President today. He
alleviate this situation to help our society, medicine, and our patients. This
became a member of BCMS in 1959, Vice President 1973, President-
interest and activity are, and has been, happening all over the state. With
elect 1974 and President in 1975. Dr. Voltz has six kids, seven grandchil-
unity there is strength.” Unfortunately, Dr. Voltz did not see the “Patients
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dren, four great grandchildren. He was accompanied by his wife Geneva.
Insurance Compensation Act of Texas” approved during his term as
Dr. Voltz discussed many notable events during his Presidency, but
BCMS President, but in 1977 Texas Legislature (Both Houses) passed
there was one that stood out. In February of 1975 BCMS tackled the
the “Medical Liability and Insurance Improvement Act of Texas” in the
professional liability insurance (malpractice) concerns. There were several
closing hours of the legislative session on May 30, 1977. Governor Briscoe
problems: rising premiums for each physician, particularly those certain
signed the bill June 16, 1977. Another notable event, was the first time
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“high risk fields”, more suits (70 in Bexar County, unofficially in 1975),
both the scientific sessions and the TMA House of Delegates met to-
physicians practiced defensive medicine and ordered tests and x-rays
gether under one roof. This gave the delegates a chance to spend more
which probably were not necessary, inability of some physicians to obtain
time in the exhibit hall and to attend the scientific sessions as well as gave
insurance, resulting in some physicians practicing without insurance.
members a better idea of how the business of TMA is handled by the
There was a change in attitude of patients and their families to include
House of Delegate. Dr. Voltz explains in his May 1975 President’s Mes-
even hostility. Dr. Voltz stated that the causes of these problems include
sage, “This will be an excellent opportunity for BCMS members to attend
the “age of miracles”, the patient is immortal and if the patient dies or had
the reference committees, and if you don’t know what a reference committee
a bad result, they had the wrong doctor. The “Nada” attitude – question-
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is, then this is the time to participate and find out!”
ing every act of “lack” of action in our practice. It was a time of economic

stress; many people were looking for the fast buck and the number of Current Events during his time on the Board
lawsuits were increasing. The insurance companies were problematic in
• 1973 Last US troops leave Vietnam
that the patient considered them to be rich and that a suit really wouldn’t
• 1973 Dallas Chaparrals basketball team moves to San Antonio and
hurt their doctor. The insurance company pays and then raises the rates
changed name to Spurs
the next year. Their profit and overhead continue. To resolve these issues
• 1974 Two Italian gynecologists create the blunt tunneling technique
the TMA and BCMS formed a special task force addressing concerns.
known as liposuction
The task force would work on the following: better rapport with the pa-
• 1974 First vaccine for chicken pox developed
tient, National and State legislation, establish our own local, state or na-
• 1975 Lila Cockrell, wife of the BCMS Executive Director, Sid E.
tional insurance company to fight every nuisance or unfounded claim to
Cockrell, was elected the first female Mayor of San Antonio
the bitter end, drop our professional liability insurance and own no prop-
• 1975 DNA sequencing is born as researchers at Harvard and Cam-
erty in our own name, write a release form stating that once patient selects
bridge simultaneously develop different methods for determining
a physician as his physician realizing his human frailty, varying skills,
the sequence of bases in DNA
training, judgment, knowledge, or lack thereof, in his care, that we are
• 1976 Apple Computer founded by Steve Jobs
liable only for gross negligence. Four bills were introduced and general
1
• Dean Kamen develops a portable insulin pump for mass market
hearings on the professional liability problem were held on March 4,

1975. Under the supervision of the TMA’s Legal Counsel, a major effort Positions held in 1975
was made to present the physician’s case from all standpoints at the state President of the United States, Gerald Ford; Governor of Texas,

14 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • January 2023