“Defensive medicine” is the buzzword used by hospital administrators and insurance companies to describe the practice of overprescribing tests to avoid missing any underlying or potential medical conditions or injuries. For example, if a patient were to see a doctor for a routine physical, and the doctor performed not only his/her duties but also ordered an MRI, an EKG, additional bloodwork and a stress test, that doctor could be said to be practicing defensive medicine.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has decided to pour $2 million into a five year study to determine what the effects of the risk of medical malpractice are having on cardiac testing. According to DoctorsLounge.com, Dr. Steven Farmer will lead the study, looking into “interrelated motivations behind test orders, including patient benefit, financial incentives, and malpractice liability. Findings from this research can help inform state malpractice reform and federal payment reform.”
Here’s the part that doesn’t make sense: if a patient presents with symptoms of a heart condition, or a family history of heart problems, doesn’t it make sense that his/her heart would be tested every year at a physical? If a person with diabetes goes to the doctor for a physical, that person’s blood sugar would absolutely be tested: why should a person with a serious potential for heart failure NOT be tested?
Why “defensive” medicine is a myth
The idea of “defensive medicine” makes our heads spin – not because it implies that doctors will do anything to avoid a lawsuit, but because it implies that providing a higher standard of care is somehow a problem. There’s nothing defensive about testing a patient’s heart if you have reason to believe there could be an issue; that’s just common sense.
If doctors around the country are missing vital information about their patients based on the current standard of care, thus indicating that defensive medicine is the only way to ensure a proper diagnosis, then the problem lies with what our standard of care is. Perhaps these additional tests are more important than the healthcare industry seems to think, and should be par for the course.
For more information about defensive medicine, please contact Plaxen & Adler, P.A. or visit our website.
