Defensive medicine: Medical practices designed to avert the future possibility of malpractice suits. In defensive medicine, responses are undertaken primarily to avoid liability rather than to benefit the patient. Doctors may order tests, procedures, or visits, or avoid high-risk patients or procedures primarily (but not necessarily solely) to reduce their exposure to malpractice liability. Defensive medicine is one of the least desirable effects of the rise in medical litigation. Defensive medicine increases the cost of health care and may expose patients to unnecessary risks.
Defensive medicine: Medical practices designed to avert the future possibility of malpractice suits. In defensive medicine, responses are undertaken primarily to avoid ...
Defensive medicine is the deviation from sound medical practice to avoid the threat of malpractice litigation.
The costs of defensive medicine practiced by doctors guarding against lawsuits are real, but not nearly as high as some have claimed. Even so, it's probably ...
The cost of defensive medicine. By Stuart L. Weinstein, MD. Tort reform could lower costs, improve patient care. At the recent “America’s Health Care at Risk: Finding a ...
Practicing defensive medicine—Not good for patients or physicians. By Paul A. Manner, MD. Recently, several studies have focused on the effects of “defensive medicine ...