Defensive medicine refers to any medical practice that a doctor or healthcare professional undertakes to avoid or minimize the chance of a malpractice lawsuit.
Defensive medicine refers to any medical practice that a doctor or healthcare professional undertakes not to serve the best interests of the patient, but to avoid or minimize the chance of a malpractice lawsuit. Defensive medicine results in billions of wasted dollars every year, a price that eventually trickles down to the patient.
Examples of Defensive Medicine
When a healthcare professional bases a decision not on what is best for the patient, but on what will give him or her the least exposure to liability, the professional is practicing defensive medicine.
Some examples of defensive medicine include:
- Ordering unnecessary tests.
- Prescribing medication at higher doses or for longer periods than necessary.
- Overtreating patients with antibiotics.
- Avoiding high-risk patients.
- Performing unnecessary procedures.
A disconcerting aspect of defensive medicine is that most patients have no idea when it is being practiced on them.
The Cost of Defensive Medicine
According to a 2014 report in JAMA Internal Medicine, the practice of defensive medicine costs Americans around $46 billion each year. Equally concerning is how pervasive the practice is. The same report found that 28 percent of orders and 13 percent of costs reviewed were at least partially defensive, while nearly three percent were completely defensive.
For Help With a Medical Malpractice Issue, Call Newsome | Melton Today at 888-261-5614 for a Free Case Evaluation
The medical malpractice attorneys at Newsome | Melton want to hear from you about any issues you are facing. We can help you recover damages for injuries you suffered in a medical malpractice incident. To get a free consultation, call 888-261-5614 today.
Defensive Medicine - Frequently Asked Questions
The statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims varies by state. Some states also have discovery rules that extend the statute of limitations, while others do not. Because the rules can be complex, you should speak with a medical malpractice attorney to know if you are within the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in your state.
Read More
Traumatic brain injuries, known as TBIs, are a type of brain injury that can lead to brain damage. All TBIs are brain injuries, but not all brain injuries occur because of traumatic events. There are other types of brain damage that can leave the person with temporary or permanent impairments. He or she may require
Read MoreDefensive Medicine - News Articles
When Dean and Tracy Dixon attended their son’s wrestling match in January 2012 they were forced to watch as his shoulder was driven into the unforgiving mat. He came up in excruciating pain and could not continue his match. Six days later, the pain had still not subsided, so the Dixons brought their son, then
Read More
California Family Continues to Wait for Millions Awarded in 2014 More than nine years ago a routine prenatal exam at the Pittsburg Health Center, located in northern California, ended in catastrophe for the Cuevas family. According to a medical malpractice lawsuit, filed on behalf of the family, the attending doctor did not respond quickly enough
Read More