Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says when he was elected back in 2003, the state was in crisis. Barbour said from the coast to small towns and everywhere in between, doctors were leaving the state.

"We had hospitals closing their delivery rooms," said Barbour. "We had only one neurosurgeon between Jackson and Memphis."

Then came tort reform in 2004 and now doctors are coming back. Barbour announced the fifth decrease in medical liability rates in three years. Overall, that's a 45 percent decrease.

But more importantly, lawsuits against doctors for medical malpractice are down. Home grown doctors like Carol Harris can move back.

"When we start our practice, we're not making huge amounts of money and to pay large premiums for malpractice is very difficult for most physicians," Dr. Harris said.

But tort reform hasn't just benefited the state medically. It's keeping jobs here in Mississippi. Tort reform means fewer lawsuits against business owners as well, whether it's Toyota or a mom and pop operation.

"One lawsuit could put a small business out of business, and in fact, small businesses could go broke winning a lawsuit," said the governor.

But Dr. Randy Easterling says more doctors means more medical professionals like pharmacists and nurses stay in Mississippi.

"Every physician represents 52 jobs in a community," said Easterling. "So if you lose ten physicians, you lose 520 jobs. If you lost twenty, you've lost a Nissan plant."

Now returning doctors mean the Nissans and Toyotas will stay and more like them will follow.

Barbour said the number of practicing doctors in Mississippi is now higher than it was before tort reform passed, and recruiting doctors is easier for state hospitals.