ScholarLens Back to search
2011•BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca)Open access

WHY DO DOCTORS PRACTICE DEFENSIVE MEDICINE? THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF MEDICAL LITIGATION.

Maurizio Catino

Open full text 15 citations

Abstract

Defensive medicine takes place when doctors prescribe unnecessary tests, procedures or specialist visits (positive defensive medicine), or avoid high risk patients or procedures (negative defensive medicine). Doctors practice defensive medicine in order to reduce their exposure to medical malpractice litigation. This paper reports the results of two studies - one national and one conducted at a regional hospital - on the type, extent, and motivations of defensive behaviours adopted by doctors in Italy. Findings suggest that about 4/5 of the doctors admit having practiced defensive medicine at least once in the previous month. This paper discusses the factors - such as the blame culture and the increase in medical malpractice litigation - that prompt defensive behaviours, thus increasing patient risks, and the cost of healthcare system.

Open-access reader

About this research paper

What this paper is about

Defensive medicine takes place when doctors prescribe unnecessary tests, procedures or specialist visits (positive defensive medicine), or avoid high risk patients or procedures (negative defensive medicine). Doctors practice defensive medicine in order to reduce their exposure to medical malpractice litigation. This paper reports the results of two studies - one national and one conducted at a regional hospital - on the type, extent, and motivations of defensive behaviours adopted by doctors in Italy. Findings suggest that about 4/5 of the doctors admit having practiced defensive medicine at least once in the previous month. This paper discusses the factors - such as the blame culture and the increase in medical malpractice litigation - that prompt defensive behaviours, thus increasing patient risks, and the cost of healthcare system.

Why it matters

OpenAlex reports 15 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

Defensive medicine takes place when doctors prescribe unnecessary tests, procedures or specialist visits (positive defensive medicine), or avoid high risk patients or procedures (negative defensive medicine). Doctors practice defensive medicine in order to reduce their exposure to medical malpractice litigation. This paper reports the results of two studies - one national and one conducted at a regional hospital - on the type, extent, and motivations of defensive behaviours adopted by doctors in Italy. Findings suggest that about 4/5 of the doctors admit having practiced defensive medicine at least once in the previous month. This paper discusses the factors - such as the blame culture and the increase in medical malpractice litigation - that prompt defensive behaviours, thus increasing patient risks, and the cost of healthcare system.

Key concepts: Defensive medicine, Blame, Malpractice, Medical malpractice, Health care, Medical practice, Medicine, Psychology

Related papers

Related paper 1Related paper 2Related paper 3
Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
WHY DO DOCTORS PRACTICE DEFENSIVE MEDICINE? THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF MEDICAL LITIGATION. — Research Paper | ScholarLens