New York’s top doc yesterday applauded President Obama for outlining an initiative to potentially rein in billions in medical-malpractice costs as part of his health-care reform plan.

“I am encouraged by the fact that the president acknowledged the problem,” said Dr. David Hannon, president of the New York Medical Society.

“These are costs that have to be taken out of the courtroom and put in the emergency room and the delivery room.”

Obama will allow states to apply for grants to launch “demonstration” projects to curb frivolous lawsuits.

States could set up a medical board of experts that would screen whether a patient’s legal claims have merit instead of going directly to court — a program already in place in some states.

Patients who want to sue would have to get a certificate from the medical panel to proceed with the malpractice suit.