A recent study put out by the journal Health Affairs finds that doctors are fearful of being sued for malpractice even when their risk isn't very high. The authors feel that this is a perception problem and no amount of tort reform may change that. Therefore, according to them, defensive medicine will continue which squarely puts the blame on the shoulders of the doctors. One of the authors gave this little bit of wisdom:
"One possible explanation is that most physicians do not have the information to accurately access their actual risk of being sued."
This is the problem with studies done by people who are not in the trenches. To me, one illegitimate or non-negligent lawsuit is too many. It effects your whole life. It makes you hate the job. It makes you not trust anyone. I cannot tell you how many docs I know who have changed forever after being sued. It is demoralizing even when it was not your fault or the case was frivolous. This is not about our chance of getting sued. This is about the constant threat that it can always happen which puts a major divide between you and the patient. This study is so demeaning because it portrays doctors as making a big thing over nothing. It just pisses me off. In fact, I should sue them over this study.
"One possible explanation is that most physicians do not have the information to accurately access their actual risk of being sued."
This is the problem with studies done by people who are not in the trenches. To me, one illegitimate or non-negligent lawsuit is too many. It effects your whole life. It makes you hate the job. It makes you not trust anyone. I cannot tell you how many docs I know who have changed forever after being sued. It is demoralizing even when it was not your fault or the case was frivolous. This is not about our chance of getting sued. This is about the constant threat that it can always happen which puts a major divide between you and the patient. This study is so demeaning because it portrays doctors as making a big thing over nothing. It just pisses me off. In fact, I should sue them over this study.
Posts
