The AMA gives tips to avoid malpractice (subscription required). Some choice quotes:
“‘The standard of care in medical malpractice is a failure by physicians to use ‘reasonable’ judgment, but the public expects it to be perfect.’ . . .. . . Family doctors and internists especially, when they are unsure, should refer patients to specialists, ‘and cancer should be a first, not a last, consideration’”
Related posts:
- NY malpractice crisis: Passing the buck
- Can specialists do primary care?
- Emergency room specialist call
- Some lawyers say defensive medicine isn’t real, but this doctor shows us otherwise
- Some reasons why patients have so many doctors
- Are family physicians better suited to practice primary care?
- Patchwork cancer care
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{ 12 comments }
How are we ever going to solve the problem of escalating health care costs if we continue this spiral of constant defensive medicine. Think cancer first. Order an MRI for every pain. Refer everyone to specialists. It’s impossible for a doctor to practice medicine anymore, especially a primary care doctor. I’m getting out. Let everyone go to NP’s and PA’s for primary care. Antibiotics for every respiratory infection. Checklists for “preventive care.” Everything else is referred to specialists (get in line with everyone else). Maybe in a generation or two when people get sick of the whole system, the family doctor will return.
I wish I had enough money to get out…until then I am going to get back at the man by screwing over the source of the problem…litigious patients. Just keeping ordering those tests and referrals, then you will be protected and the only one who is harmed is the patient with needless copays and tests…
The AMA is a bankrupt, old school organization. It will be gone during our lifetimes. We need a more militant pro-active organization like the ATLA so we can screw the Sodomites like they screw us. They shouldn’t be telling us to order more tests, they should be spending their money greasing politicians and paying for golf junkets and teenage hookers for the democrats in order to get tort reform passed.
Because once tort reform passes, you’ll not do any defensive medicine?
You aren’t brave enough to rely solely on your skills.
Anyone can get out if they want to. I am. New job starts June 1.
What are you doing instead? I’m looking for an out.
Is that you John? Good Luck!
Some of you anonymous commenters wouldn’t last a day in the free market. You’ll be back practicing medicine within 6 months.
What’s your new job? Help us!
I posted the anon about starting a new job June 1. My new job will be with a company that helps hospitals get the money they have earned from insurance companies. i.e. they appeal downgraded days while the patient is in the hospital.
I have been looking for non-clinical jobs in medicine for about 5 years. Here are my helpful hints:
1) Find other stuff to do part time, like chart review (check with your state’s QIO)
2) Check job listings on websites. I suggest searching monster, careerbuilder, and hotjobs once week with the term “medical director”, or “medical consultant”.
3) If you are a specialist – especially psychiatry, neurology, infectious disease or oncology, the pharma industry is looking for you.
4) If you are primary care consider the following – 1) Medical education companies, 2) Medical director positions with health insurers (usually requrires experience) 3) Medical director positions with LIFE insurance companies – check aaimedicine.org, 4) “Drug safety” positions with pharma companies – again usually want experience or you could do a fellowship in “clinical pharmacology” 5) Medical informatics positions with companies that make medical software – I was offered and turned down a position with Epic two years ago and I think they are still looking.
5) If you can, “loosen” up your obligations. One reason I did not get a job I was really excited about was that they wanted someone immediately and my contract had a 5 month notification clause.
To the anonymous poster who said this “Anonymous said…
Some of you anonymous commenters wouldn’t last a day in the free market. You’ll be back practicing medicine within 6 months. “
Aside from the irony of slamming anonymous posters with an anonymous post, I’d say that is pretty tough talk from a guy undoubtedly posting from his mom’s basement while waiting for his porn to finish downloading on the 28k modem.
It is not always the patient’s fault! There are a great many doctors practicing that give everyone in our profession a bad name. Standards of conduct should be enforced, refusal of meds from pharmacy “marketing” reps, and giving patients whatever they request… continuing education as well. There are doctors who have been sued and deserve to have been charged with malpractice. The spiraling cost of healthcare is because medicine has become an economy of its own and as with any economy, prices go up.
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