1 in 4 heart doctors order tests due to malpractice fears
Related: heart doctors, malpractice fears, tests
A large number of U.S. heart doctors, about one in four, say that they order medical tests that might not be needed out of fear of getting sued, according to a new study.
Nearly 600 doctors were surveyed for the study to determine how they treat their patients and whether non-medical issues have influenced their decisions to order invasive heart tests. Most said they weren’t swayed by things like financial gain or a patient’s expectations, however roughly 24% of the doctors said they had recommended the test in the previous year because they were worried about malpractice lawsuits. About 27% said they did it because they thought their colleagues would do the test.
So fear of a malpractice lawsuit can result in more tests according to this study. That of course means more cost and less efficiency.
Last Updated on November 12th, 2011
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